Shots Heard Around the World
by Mrs. Elizabeth Gibbs
Summary: What happens when a mission goes south and Gibbs is forced to stay with Jenny until his wounds heal? And will the two of them be able to face both of their broken pasts and move forward? Jibbs, angst mixed with fluff, and a dash of smut for good measure.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This idea came to me while I sat staring into space instead of paying attention in my AP European History class and wouldn't leave me alone. I looked up the details as best I could, but I'm not a doctor and I don't deal with guns, so if everything isn't perfect don't hate me! Hope you enjoy it, and please tell me what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS**

Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs stood in front of the plasma, seething.

He and the team had been working a murder case for almost a full day and still no leads that had gotten them any closer to a killer.

"Tell me you dug something up that resembles a lead on the girlfriend!" he all but shouted, looking around at his team. Tony looked up at his boss, mentally cringing at what he had to tell him.

"Her alibi is rock solid, boss, she's couldn't have done it."

Gibbs sent him one of his signature glares before turning Ziva.

"I am searching the phone records of his shipmates now."

Still glaring slightly, he turned to McGee.

"Uh, I'm looking over Petty Officer Carson's billing records and checking his banking for any large cash withdrawals or deposits."

Their boss nodded before exiting the bullpen, heading in the direction of autopsy. They all breathed a sigh of relief before looking at each other.

"He's mad." Tony said simply. Ziva rolled her eyes at Tony's obvious statement.

"Really, Tony? We couldn't tell."

"Guys, we should probably get back to work. Boss doesn't need another reason to yell…" McGee said hesitantly. His coworkers nodded in hurried agreement before turning back to their computers, their fingers starting to type rapidly. A few minutes later, McGee paused, unsure of what he had found.

"Why would…" McGee looked over the record he had been reviewing.

"What is it Probie?" Tony said, looking a little relieved.

"Well…here let me show you." McGee stood up, putting his computer screen's image onto the plasma. "Carson's girlfriend told us that lately he had been bringing home less money than usual, right?" McGee waited for Tony and Ziva to nod before continuing.

"Then why would the amount of money in his savings go up?" The three looked up at each other, stumped.

"Maybe he just didn't tell the girlfriend the actual amount he was making. His shipmate Petty Officer Flint did say that Carson had been thinking about dumping her for a few weeks." Tony said, scratching his head.

"Espionage?" Ziva asked, slightly hopeful.

"I don't know. Maybe Gibbs should re-interrogate the shipmates. Drug trafficking is another possibility." McGee said.

The three looked at each other, none of them wanting to be the unlucky person to have to tell Gibbs.

-NCISNCISNCISNCIS-

Gibbs strode into autopsy, not happy in the slightest.

"Talk to me Duck."

"Ah, Jethro, I was expecting you. I have the Petty Officer's cause of death. Our poor man was shot, point blank, in the head. But before that, he was stabbed twice in the abdomen with a standard hunting knife, available at most sporting goods stores. The stabber missed vital organs. The pattern is consistent with one stabbing lightly, just breaking the skin and being pulled out quickly. I believe that the stabbing was used to distract our Petty Officer before he was shot." Ducky said, leading Gibbs to the body, pointing to the wounds, making his point. He looked up when he told Gibbs his conclusion, his eyes meeting his old friend's. "Our poor Marine was indeed murdered."

"Tox?" Gibbs asked, raising a white eyebrow.

"No drugs in his system, although Abby did find traces of a sleeping pill left over from the night before. It appears that our dead man was an insomniac."

"Thanks Duck."

"Do you have any leads?" Ducky asked.

"Nope." Gibbs said, heading towards the exit.

After he had left, Ducky walked back over to the body, checking his stitches.

"You'll have to excuse him; he isn't exactly a man that is well known for his patience."

-NCISNCISNCISNCIS-

About ten minutes later Gibbs was walking into Abby's lab, Caf-Pow! in hand.

She spun around on her platform boots when she heard him walk in. She smiled happily, taking the Caf-Pow! and sipping it gratefully.

"Gibbs, I have something. We got a hit off the prints found at the scene. Does the name Petty Officer Anders ring a bell?"

"Yeah, it does. Thanks Abs." he kissed her quickly on the cheek before turning to leave.

"I'm not done!" Abby said cheerfully. Gibbs turned back around, walking over to her.

"Yeah, Abs?"

"The gun used to kill Petty Officer Carson was a 33 millimeter. The bullet tracks are the same. I ran the bullet through AFIS, but no hits yet. I also went through the Petty Officer's hard drive, nothing unusual. Just email, some music, and some downloaded documentaries about scuba diving." Abby said, looking up at Gibbs.

"Thanks Abs. Call me if you get anything else."

"Aye Aye Captain!" Abby replied, waving her hand in a mock salute. Gibbs rolled his eyes, smiling a little as he left her lab. He waited for the elevator to go up to the bullpen, and when the elevator dinged, the doors opened up to reveal his favorite redhead. Unfortunately, he wasn't in the mood to deal with her and her comments at the moment, and he almost considered taking the stairs, but decided against it, knowing he'd regret it later. He stepped into the elevator, nodding at Jen quickly before pressing the right button. They stood in silence for a moment before Jen broke the quiet.

"Case not going quite as smoothly as you'd like it to, Jethro?" her velvet voice came from his shoulder, her flowery perfume hitting him for the first time. He could practically _hear_ the smirk in her words.

"Well, no, not exactly Jen. We just got our first lead. Petty Officer Brian Anders' fingerprints were found at our crime scene. I'm hoping my team has gotten some form of work done and that I don't have to head slap all of them into next week." He said, turning slightly so that he faced her, tilting his head down slightly so he could look into her eyes. He had to use all of his self control to not fall into the bright green depths; he'd been struggling with it ever since she had arrived. Lately, they had gotten along better, but their relationship was nothing like how it used to be. Hell, he didn't know if their relationship would _ever_ be that good again.

"I'm sure they have Jethro. Let me know if you get anything, I'll be in my office going over case reports." Jen said, flipping her crimson curls lightly behind her shoulders, the light reflecting for a second off her reading glasses. The doors dinged, and she stepped out of the elevator, graceful even in her heels. She clicked away, and Jethro admired the view for a moment before stepping out of the elevator himself. _What she doesn't see can't hurt, _he thought to himself, chuckling. He walked into the bullpen, glaring at his team.

"We got a hit off fingerprints from the crime scene. Bring in Petty Officer Anders again. And please, tell me you found _something _else."

"I think so Boss. Carson's girlfriend told us that he hadn't been bringing home as much money as usual. But I looked into his accounts, and for the past two weeks, large sums of money have been deposited. We have some ideas, but I'm thinking drugs." McGee answered, pointing to things on the plasma.

"Tony, Ziva?" Gibbs asked, turning to the two.

"We will go get Petty Officers Flint, Anders, Daren, and Harper right now Boss." Tony said, standing and grabbing his bag. Ziva also grabbed her gear, following Tony quickly to the elevators.

"Good job McGee. Check the other officers and let me know what you find." Gibbs said, nodding to the younger man.

"I already did Boss. Officers Anders and Harper have also had large amounts of money deposited in their accounts over the past couple of weeks. I think they deposited it themselves, because I can't find any checks." McGee said.

"Nice work McGee."

"Thanks Boss."

"I have to go inform the Director. Call me when Tony and Ziva arrive with our friends." Gibbs said, heading towards the stairs.

"Of course Boss." McGee said, sitting back at his computer.

-NCISNCISNCISNCIS-

Jen sat at her desk, looking over case files from the day. She had her glasses on, and was squinting at the almost unintelligible handwriting of an agent. She was signing her signature when her door was opened and her favorite agent walked in.

"Can I help you, Special Agent Gibbs?" Jen said, sliding her glasses off her nose and looking up into his piercing blue eyes. Every time she met his gaze, she had to fight to keep her thoughts coherent. Even the first time, after almost six years, she had had to fight to stay in control. The car had been the worst. A confined space, his smell in her nostrils, his muscular body only inches from hers, had been almost unbearable. It hadn't helped that he had brought up their first night together either. When she had slid her hand over his mouth, she had almost lost her self control. Only seconds more and she knew she wouldn't have been able to stop what she _knew_ would have happened. She was brought back to the present by Gibbs clearing his throat loudly.

"Jen, you there?"

"Sorry Jethro. Say again?"

"I said, we may have a drug problem. Three Petty Officers, including the one lying in our morgue, have received large amounts of money in the past few weeks. Tony and Ziva are bringing them in, along with a few more of Petty Officer Carson's friends. They should be here momentarily if you want to watch the interrogation. You've got to be bored out of your mind in here." Gibbs said, smirking slightly as he saw the agreement in her green eyes, but the slight frown on her mouth.

She didn't want to agree with him, but she needed to get out of her office. She stood, fixing the wrinkles in her slacks.

"Thank you for telling me, Special Agent Gibbs. And just for that last comment, I think I will watch this interrogation." Jen said, throwing him a smirk, laughter dancing in her green eyes.

"I knew you would Jen." Gibbs said, smiling as he opened the door for her.

They walked into the bullpen, their strides perfectly in sync. McGee looked up, saw the two, and promptly put his gaze back on his computer screen. The pair stood in front of the screen, both pairs of arms crossed, looking at the records on the plasma. Fifteen minutes later, they both looked to the elevators as they dinged, opening to show Tony and Ziva with four Petty Officers. They escorted them to separate interrogation rooms, where the four men sat, two of them more nervous than the rest.

Back in the bullpen, Gibbs and Jen debated over who he should tackle first.

"I say one of the could-be drug dealers. Shake them up a little. Tony and Ziva can handle the friends." Jen suggested, her hair tumbling over one shoulder as she cocked her head to the side, looking at the paper on Gibbs' desk.

"Alright. I'll go to Anders first, ask him how his finger prints got in our crime scene. Then I'll go for Harper."

Jen nodded in agreement, following him to the interrogation room where Anders was currently sitting. She went into the glass room, turning on the sound, settling in to watch the interrogation.

-NCISNCISNCISNCIS-

Tony walked out of interrogation, having just told Petty Officer Daren he could leave, to find Ziva also walking out of her interrogation. He easily caught up to her, and smiled brightly at her.

"So, how did your questioning of Flint go?"

"Good. He did not have much to add; he simply told me everything I already knew. I do not believe he was involved with any drugs or Carson's murder." Ziva said, looking at Tony. "Did Daren add anything?"

"No, he told me the same thing. I hope Gibbs learned something more from Anders or Harper."

"I agree."

The partners walked into the bullpen to find Gibbs, the Director and McGee standing by the plasma, looking at air footage of what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse.

"You get something from one of the Patty Officers Boss?" Tony asked curiously.

"Yeah. Anders confessed to murdering Carson for his drug money, and Harper knew where the next shipment is coming in. We're setting up to raid." Gibbs said, looking over at the two.

"Wow, impressive. When is this all going to take place?" Tony asked.

"In about two hours." Jen said, looking at the two. "I'll assume you'll want to be counted in?" Both agents nodded eagerly, and Jen nodded in acknowledgement before turning back to the screen.

-NCISNCISNCISNCIS-

Two hours later, the team pulled into the abandoned warehouse, followed by two SWAT vans, and a few local police cars. Gibbs, Tony, Ziva, McGee, and Jen got out, and looked around, searching for suspicious activity. Large metal crates were scattered about, along with old, abandoned construction equipment.

"We'll split up. If you find the men, you know what to do." Gibbs said quietly, drawing his weapon. The group nodded, and all drew their guns. Tony and Ziva went one way, McGee went another, and Jen went in Gibbs' direction, while groups of SWAT members and police men followed.

Normally Jen wouldn't do field work, but she had felt that if such a large quantity of drugs were in play, she should be there. She stayed a few steps behind Gibbs, knew that he was aware of her presence. They had been partners for so long, it felt natural. He stopped abruptly at the corner of a crate, signaling for her to come closer, but to stay quiet. She crept up to him, and heard the voices of a group of men. She looked at him, waiting for his signal. He made it, and they simultaneously stepped out, aiming their guns.

"Federal Agents!" they said together. Their drawn weapons seemed to have no affect on the group however, and one man raised his gun, pointing in their direction. Gibbs instinctively pushed Jen back behind the crate. She hadn't been expecting it, and she stumbled backwards, slightly off balance. Then she heard the sound that made her heart stop.

Shots that must have been heard around the world filled the air.

**Author's End Note: Cliffhanger! Don't hate me, I will write more! Please read and review!!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Well, here's chapter two. Sorry for the delay- life decided to throw me a few curveballs, and writer's block didn't help. I can't say if I'll be posting regularly- and for anyone that reads my other stories, the updates for them may be slower as well. I promise I'll continue to work on them, but I'm not sure when I will be able to post. Thanks for all of your patience! Please review!**

**Disclaimer: I do no own NCIS or anything affiliated with it**

Three. Three shots. That's what Jen heard from her position behind the crate. She knew they had hit their mark when she saw Gibbs' figure fall. Almost instantaneously, the SWAT team had moved in, and more shots were heard. She was frozen in place, unable to comprehend the situation. She was awoken from her trance by the SWAT leader's voice.

"Clear!"

She ran to Gibbs' body. There was so much blood. Red covered her hands as she pressed them into Gibbs' shoulder. It looked like he had been hit once in the ribs, once in the shoulder, and once in the arm. When she pressed harder, she heard a faint groan of pain, and he started to stir under her. She hated for him to be in pain, but it meant that he was alive. She pressed harder and his eyes open, the blue glazed over in pain, confusion mixed in.

"God damn it Jethro, don't you dare give up on me!" she yelled, tears starting to form in the corner of her eyes.

"Jen…" his voice was a hoarse whisper, if even that. He turned his head to her, trying to lift a hand.

"Jethro, don't talk now. Medics should be here in a minute. I need you to stay with me. Do not close your eyes on me Jethro!" Jen said, pressing into his shoulder again, his eyes flicking open painfully.

Behind her, Tony, Ziva, and McGee looked at their boss, horror stricken. How could their boss have been hit? He was Leroy Jethro Gibbs, the invincible one! No one could touch him, no one could hurt him! Yet here they stood, looking at their boss, lying on the ground, blood pooling around him, their director beside him, attempting to stem the flow. They could hear her words, but chose to close their ears, knowing that they were meant for one man, and one man alone.

-NCISNCISNCISNCIS-

Ten minutes later, Gibbs' stretcher was being loaded into the ambulance, Jen close behind. As soon as the doors were closed the vehicle sped off. The team stood, looking at each other, still dumb-founded. They slowly headed back to the car, climbing in. They headed back to headquarters in silence, all of them lost in their own thoughts. No one wanted to put voice to what they were all thinking- could Gibbs really die? They all chose instead to put all their effort into wrapping up the case, doing all of their paperwork and finishing with the Petty Officers. Even after everything was finished, they all sat at their desks, silently doing any work they could find. They needed to keep their hands busy, but even then, their minds could wander, and when they wandered, all they could see was Gibbs covered in blood, Jen pressing his wounds, struggling to keep it together.

Hours, Ziva broke the silence.

"Shall we drive to the hospital? I'm sure there is news…"

Tony and McGee looked up, uncertainty in their faces. They both nodded though, standing and grabbing their coats.

"Ducky and Abby?" McGee asked, looking at his two team members.

"They wouldn't forgive us if we didn't." Tony said, turning towards the elevators.

The three stepped into the elevator, Ziva pressing the right button. The silence that enveloped them was a sad one, and the three couldn't acknowledge that this could continue for some time.

-NCISNCISNCISNCIS-

Jen paced the waiting room, furious that no one was telling her anything. Gibbs has been rushed into surgery upon arrival at the hospital, and that had been over an hour and a half ago, and Jen still hadn't heard anything. She had received a phone call from the SWAT team leader about twenty minutes earlier. The leader of the drug dealers had been shot in the chest, but was still alive, and Jen fully intended on interrogating the bastard herself. The other two men had also been hit; only one had survived. All of the drugs had been accounted for; ten pounds of marijuana had been found in a car on the lot. Jen knew that she should be happy that the mission had been a success, but she was too worried about the fact that her best agent was in surgery. And he wasn't just her agent. The past couple of weeks, they had gotten over the initial awkwardness of everything, and they had become friends. Yes, there were moments when she'd like nothing better than to strangle him, but then there were times when she remembered why she had fallen in love with him in Paris.

She looked up when she saw the doctor come into the waiting area. She couldn't read the doctor's expression as he walked in her direction.

"How is he?" Jen asked, her voice tight.

"He was hit in the shoulder, the bicep, and one bullet nicked a rib. The bone shard hit a lung, creating a small tear. We patched the hole, and his lungs are fine now. We put a pin in his shoulder and his arm muscles should heal nicely, although he will need some physical therapy. He will be in extreme pain over the next few days, just to warn you. Then, he'll need in-home care for at least two weeks, and he shouldn't lift anything over a few pounds. Working in the field is out of the question for at least a month." the doctor said, looking stern.

Jen nodded, knowing Gibbs would not enjoy this. At least he wasn't dead.

"Can I see him?"

"Yes. He's still asleep, but should be waking up in the next half hour or so."

Jen nodded, and followed the doctor into Gibbs' room. He was lying in the bed, his upper left arm and shoulder covered in gauze. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, and his face looked peaceful for once. Jen turned to the doctor.

"Will there be pain medication?"

"Yes, I'll have a nurse bring the prescription. No alcohol, and only a small amount of coffee. I'll let you be. I'll check on him later, after he's woken up."

"Thank you." Jen said before turning back to the bed. She walked over slowly, sitting in a chair on his uninjured side. She looked at his face, sighing. He never seemed to stay uninjured for long. She took his hand, her slim fingers tracing his calloused ones. She let her head rest against the rail of the hospital bed. She had already placed herself in the role of Jethro's caretaker- she wouldn't submit one of his team members to him when he was hurt. She had taken care of him in Positano, and she would do it again. Of course, the circumstances had been different in Positano. In Italy, they'd had a far different relationship than they did now. He used to let her in, but she had lost that trust years ago, she knew. She heard Gibbs' breathing change, and she slid her fingers out of his.

She looked at him, watching his blue eyes open, the sleep disappearing from them as he took in his surroundings. His gaze fell on her, and Jen saw the surprise in them. It was gone in a moment however, when he tried to sit up and she saw the pain in his face when he tried to move his shoulder.

"I don't suggest moving, Jethro. You're right side is pretty hurt."

He flashed her on of his 'you-think?' looks before wincing again.

"Jen, you didn't have to stay. I'm sure the waiting room bored you out of your skull." Gibbs said, his voice hoarse.

"I did have to. My best agent and former partner got shot. Do you really think I'd be anywhere else?" Jen replied, working hard to keep her voice level.

Gibbs looked at her, searching, and Jen made sure that her eyes kept their guarded expression. He gave up after a few minutes, instead resting his head back against the pillow.

"Are you able to get me out of here anytime soon?"

Jen silently rolled her eyes at his impatience before answering.

"You will be here for the next few days while they monitor you. Then, you will be staying with me until you get the all-clear. No field work for at least a month. No alcohol with the meds, and only a little coffee." Jen said, bracing herself for his reaction.

"No. Jen, I will be staying in my own house, by myself. I'll be fine in a week." Gibbs said, glaring at her.

"It wasn't up for debate. I am doing what the doctor told me. You will be staying with me whether you like it or not. I've done this before, Jethro. Positano?" Jen said, attempting a weak smile. "Or is that you can't imagine having to see me even more than you do already?"

Gibbs looked at her, trying to understand. Last time he had check, _she_ had left, _she_ had specified that there would be no off the job. He had tried to find a happy medium multiple times, yet everyone that he had found didn't leave him satisfied. Now, here she was, telling him that he'd be subjected to her presence all the time, and that he was going to be needing her help to do even simple things for an extended period of time? Then, add in her actually making a reference to the past, to quite an enjoyable time in their past, and he was pretty damn confused.

"Jen, how is this going to work? You can't exactly leave the agency for the entire time I'm off my feet. I'm sure the hospital knows someone who can come and stay with me for a few weeks."

"Jethro, stop arguing, because it isn't getting you anywhere. And you hate strangers, so that was just a stupid thing to say. I talked to SecNav already, and he has an agent that is looking to be director someday that will sit in my chair for a few weeks. When you return, I return. Jethro, it's only a month. We are mature adults, and I'm sure we can handle being in the same house for a few weeks."

Gibbs looked at her, her words making sense. Then a thought struck him.

"Jen, don't you only have one bedroom?"

"Well…yes I guess you're right. I forgot I converted the other bedrooms. But I have a king, so there will be plenty of room Jethro." Jen said, glancing at him.

Gibbs met her gaze, looking into her emerald eyes. He looked for anything out of the ordinary. The usual emotions were there, but he noticed fear creeping around the edges, along with…excitement? Why would Jen be excited? Maybe she had something else on her mind, because he felt anything but excited when he looked at the next month of his life.

**Author's End Note: So I guess the angst will commence in the next chapter! I do hope you're enjoying this so far. I had to tweak some things about Jen's house to prepare the story for the coming chapters. Tell me what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: So I just have to say I'm terribly sorry for the lack of updates recently. I was finishing Something You Should Know, and I was pressed for time with school, and I'm job-hunting, and life is really, really hectic for a sophomore in high school. So, I hope you guys like this chapter, and please review.

Author's Note 2: I epically fail at writing angst. Really. I tried in here, a little, but I'm not good at it. So, it will mostly be their banter, similar to on the show. I tried, and found that angst is simply not my forte.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything, unfortunately

* * *

Gibbs sat in the hospital bed, bored out of his mind.

The hospital really had no form of entertainment, at least not his kind of entertainment anyway. The room didn't have space for a boat, and even if it did, his shoulder was killing him. The painkillers were nice and everything, but the dull throb from his left side still hurt, and he wasn't even going to be allowed to drink his bourbon. Jen had already warned him that there would be no bending of that rule, and that he should just be glad that coffee was allowed.

He still couldn't believe that he'd be staying with Jenny for the next month. They were friends again yes, but he felt like some form of a boundary had been overstepped in the set-up. How was he going to be able to handle seeing her when she'd just woken up, or after a shower, after all these years? He shook his head, trying to clear the images from his head so that a certain part of his anatomy wouldn't act up.

He heard her before he saw her.

Her heels clicking on the linoleum flooring as she came into his room, she looked slightly surprised that he was awake. Her fiery hair had been pulled back into a low ponytail, and her bangs kept falling into her eyes. Should he still feel that almost irresistible urge to tenderly brush the hair away, to let his fingers linger on her soft skin? _Stop it, Gibbs, she isn't yours! _He thought, reprimanding himself.

"I thought you were asleep Jethro. I got coffee, but no, you cannot have any. I need it more than you do, believe me."

"Somehow I find that hard to believe, Jen." Gibbs replied, his face slightly amused.

"Really? Did you have to write a report on your senior field agent's shooting, interrogate two bastards that shot at your people, and have an hour long conference with the Secretary of the Navy with almost no sleep?" When Gibbs sheepishly shook his head, Jen nodded in triumph. "I didn't think so."

"Jen, when can I leave?" Gibbs whined, his blue eyes pleading with her. Jen almost fell for it, except for the amusement she was oh-so familiar with lingering in the back of his gaze.

"When Dr. Gefland tells me you can. Patience is a virtue, Jethro."

"Yeah, I don't follow those. Isn't lust one too, Jen?" Gibbs said, an eyebrow shooting up, an unreadable emotion flickering across his face.

"Those would be the seven deadly sins Jethro. You would be familiar with those." Jen replied, muttering the last part under her breath.

"Sorry, I didn't catch that last part. My hearing is going with my age." Gibbs said, cupping a hand behind his ear and tilting it jokingly towards her.

"Oh, I don't think your age affects anything." Jen teased quietly, her gaze reflecting her meaning.

Gibbs merely raised an eyebrow, his eyes speaking for him. They sat in a comfortable silence, Jen sipping her coffee, Gibbs resting his head on the pillow, his shoulder throbbing.

They both looked up when a knock was heard on the door, signaling someone's arrival. Dr. Todd Gefland stood in the doorway, clipboard in hand.

"Please tell me I'm free to leave this place." Gibbs said as he sat up, mindful of his injury.

"Well, test results are in. You should be free to leave tomorrow morning. We just want you here one more night for observation, and then you are free to leave." Dr. Gefland said, smiling at Gibbs. He turned to Jenny, smiling warmly at her. "I hope you'll be able to handle him for the next couple of weeks, Jenny."

"I've done it before Todd. Thanks again." Jen said, returning the smile.

After Dr. Gefland left, Jen met Gibbs' burning gaze, slightly surprised that there was a hint of jealousy in his eyes. She raised a slim eyebrow, questioning him.

"Why did he call you Jenny?" Gibbs asked, restraining himself as much as possible. An inexplicable rage had filled him upon hearing him call her by name, instead of the usual 'Director Shepard' greeting. He liked the doctor, he did, but hearing him call her Jenny had instantly put him on his bad list.

Jen looked at Gibbs, and when she looked into his dark cobalt eyes, she couldn't stop the beginning stirring of arousal in the pit of her stomach. Why did he have to bring out these feelings in her? Why did he still make her feel like she was a hormonal teenager? Before the ache could become unbearable, Jen broke her gaze with him, staring behind him.

"We went out a few years ago, but it didn't work out. Todd's a nice guy, really Jethro. You can't blame him for wanting to date me with any honest evidence."

Gibbs simply glared, his blue gaze burning.

"No, whose fault is that, _Jen_?" he replied, emphasizing her name.

Jen's breathing stopped when his words hit her, and the initial tears of pain started to burn her eyes. She stood, controlling her emotions as best she could.

"You overstepped Jethro."

-NCISNCISNCISNCIS-

As Gibbs watched Jen leave, his anger melted away, and he realized what a bastard he had been to her. He'd been pissed off, and the pain of her leaving and then hearing that she'd actually dated a guy after him. Not that he had any reason to be angry, considering he'd gotten married after she'd left, no matter if it had been another failure.

He leaned his head back, wanting nothing more than to take back everything he had said to Jen. Could he blame it on the painkillers swirling around in his brain? Probably not, considering he'd been lucid throughout. Damn it, why did he have to mess _everything_ up?

Jenny walked purposely through the hospital, willing the tears to stay in. She reached a bathroom and stepped inside quickly, locking the door behind her. She sank to the floor, letting the tears overflow.

That bastard! How dare he be mad at her! How dare he! He'd gotten married after she'd left, for crying out loud! And he had the nerve to push the blame on her!

She'd thought that he'd moved on with Stephanie, so she'd decided that she could spare a few nights to go out to dinner with someone. Todd had asked her, and she'd given it a shot. The entire night she'd spent comparing Todd to Jethro, and so she'd kindly told him that while it had been a lovely evening, she didn't think she could see him again. Thankfully, he'd understood, having just come out of a nasty divorce himself, and had thanked her for being honest. Todd was a good man, but he wasn't Jethro. No one was Jethro, and that's why Jen was pulling herself together, wiping her eyes, splashing cold water on her face. Why she was making herself look like she hadn't been as affected by his words as she had. Why she was slowly walking back to his room, taking a deep breath before entering.

Because that's what you did when you loved someone.

-NCISNCISNCISNCIS-

The following day, Jen showed up at the hospital, having returned home to change out of the previous days clothes, coffee in hand. Gibbs was going home, and Jen was prepared for a tense few days, as they got reacquainted with living together. Things were still uneasy between them; after Jen had returned to the room the air between them had been charged, neither willing to bend to the other. Gibbs had made some stupid comment that Jen had taken as his apology, and so they were back to square one.

She reached his room, her shoes for once making no noise at all, as she had sneakers on. She stepped inside, finding the bed empty. She heard the sink running, and discovered Gibbs shaving in the bathroom. She leaned against the doorway, watching him shave with steady accuracy, shaking the razor against the sink as he turned to face her.

"Morning Jen. Where are the heels?"

"In my closet. I figured sneakers are my best bet if I'm taking you home."

As Jen said the words, she realized how it sounded and closed her eyes, awaiting the comment she knew was coming.

"So that's how we're putting it now? You're 'taking me home'? I feel like I just got picked up at a bar or something?"

"You wish you were that lucky Jethro."

Gibbs simply rolled his eyes before returning to shaving. Jen smirked before walking back into the room, sipping her warm coffee, enjoying the vanilla flavor as it trickled down her throat.

She was totally unprepared when she felt an arm snake around her waist, taking the coffee from her expertly. Gibbs had a satisfied smirk on his face as he took a sip, frowning slightly before handing the cup back to her. She still tingled where his hand had brushed against her when he spoke.

"You drink girly coffee."

"Girly coffee? Jethro, just because it's vanilla does not make it 'girly.' I know it isn't Jamaican blend, but that doesn't mean it isn't coffee." Jen said, rolling her eyes at him.

"Yeah, okay. Whatever you say Jen." Gibbs said, wiping his face with a towel as he stepped back into the room. He pulled the dirty t-shirt over his head, forgetting about his shoulder, and as his groan of pain sounded Jen was by his side, untangling him and helping him sit down on the hospital bed, rubbing his uninjured shoulder comfortingly.

Gibbs' breath was coming in short gasps, and he gripped the edge of the bed, his knuckles turning white. Jen winced for him, feeling the knots in his shoulder at neck, reminding herself to get him to sit still tonight at work them out.

As his breathing slowed, Gibbs became aware of Jen's small hand on his shoulder and neck, kneading into the stiff and sore muscles. He sighed reflexively, and leaned unconsciously into the massage, his head coming to rest on the top of Jen's. Her breathing hitched, and she smiled slightly.

"Do you want to go home, or not Jethro?"

"Well, will you finish when we get there?" Gibbs said, lifting his head off hers to meet her gaze.

"If you so desire me to, then yes, I can continue when we get home." Jen said, rolling her eyes at him.

"You are seriously my favorite person right now Jen." Gibbs said, sighing as he stood.

"Don't say things you don't mean Jethro."

-NCISNCISNCISNCIS-

Hours later, Jen had Gibbs settled in, and he was slowly getting himself acquainted with her house. She'd decided to have him pick a movie, and it was certainly an adventure. Jen didn't exactly have a large collection of movies, and Gibbs wasn't exactly a movie kind of a guy.

He had finally managed to pick one however, and Jen thought of the irony in it.

He'd chosen 'A Few Good Men' the only Marine video she had.

They were on the coach, sitting semi-close, their thighs touching gently. Jen was exhausted, and wasn't expecting to make it through the entire movie. She started to drift about halfway through, and was gently snoring soon after.

Gibbs was engrossed in the movie, actually able to understand a film for once. He didn't even notice Jen had fallen asleep until her head slid on his uninjured softly, her warmth on his side. He cradled her head softly, letting her curl up on his side, simply enjoying the feeling of her in his arms.

* * *

Author's End Note: I watched 'A Few Good Men' myself for the hundredth whilst writing this, and I just have to say that I love that movie, and Tom Cruise is absolutely amazing in his role. If you haven't seen it, I totally recommend it!


	4. Chapter 4

So, I got my AP practice test back, and I aced it, so I'm celebrating with this update! I hope you guys like this chapter, and please keep up the awesome reviews!

* * *

Jen woke up slowly, unusually warm. She opened her eyes a crack, seeing her living room, and she felt confused.

Her house was always cold. She kept it that way, and she liked it that way. So, she was confused as to why she was so warm and cozy, until she realized she wasn't leaning on a pillow.

She was lying across Gibbs' chest, his uninjured arm around her waist, holding her to him. His breathing tickled her hair and washed across her neck, making her own breathing shorten and her heart skip a beat. She was actually quite comfortable, and didn't really feel like moving, no matter the consequences that could arise. It had been years since she'd been held by this particular man, and so she took the opportunity this situation presented.

She settled more comfortably into his embrace, her ear over his heartbeat, listening to the steady rhythm. She smiled softly in contentment before letting herself drift, unaware that Gibbs was slowly rising into consciousness himself.

Gibbs awoke slowly, feeling the warm body in his arms, and wondered what exactly had happened last night. He opened his eyes slowly, his surroundings becoming clearer.

He recognized Jen's living room, and then shifted his gaze downward, seeing Jen's head resting near his shoulder, right over his heart. He smiled to himself, pressing a soft kiss to the crown of her head, sure that she had no idea that she was lying on his chest. He didn't mind, he was just glad that she was there, no matter what the circumstance.

He'd been kidding himself when he'd said he was over her. He could never be over Jen, it just wasn't possible. She may think that she was counted in the ex-wives category, but she was anything but.

If he could only get her to see that they could work. They could be the way they were before, if only he could show her.

But maybe he could. He was here for the next month. If he could get her to see that he could make her happy, that they could relight that spark that was ever present in their relationship, then maybe she'd see how perfect they were.

Because really, what did that doctor have on him?

-NCISNCISNCISNCIS-

A few hours later, Jen was awoken once more, this time by Gibbs shifting around, trying to get comfortable.

Deciding that it was time for her to get up, she sat up cautiously, stretching her stiff muscles slowly, wincing slightly as she moved her neck. Her movement alerted Gibbs, and he sat up, yawning and rubbing his face with his good hand. Jenny looked at him, flushing slightly as she watched his muscular arm ripple with movement.

"How's your shoulder Jethro? Sleeping on the couch probably didn't feel well."

"I was comfortable. How about you?" Gibbs asked, suggestively raising an eyebrow and leaning in towards her slightly. Jen's breathing hitched before speeding up, and she swallowed hard. She desperately wanted to answer him, but she didn't trust her voice to not waver. His blue eyes bored into hers, obviously awaiting her answer, but Jen broke the gaze, and stood, flushing red.

"I'm going to make coffee. I'll bring you some." Jen mumbled as she scurried into the kitchen, leaving a confused Gibbs staring at her retreating form.

-NCISNCISNCISNCIS-

Jen stood in the kitchen, her back against the counter, staring into space as the coffee brewed.

She was so confused. She wanted Jethro, she always had and she always would, but why now? Why was he doing this now? Why, after all these weeks, was he acting like this?

Her thoughts were a jumbled mess, and she put her head in her hands, just standing there.

She jumped when the coffee maker beeped, and she swiftly poured two cups, taking a sip from her steaming cup. She carried both cups into the living room, which she discovered was empty, much to her surprise. She headed upstairs, where she suspected Jethro had gone, and her assumptions were confirmed when she discovered him in the bedroom.

She stood in the doorway a moment, watching him as he looked through his clothes, no doubt looking for something to throw on. She coughed quietly, alerting him of her presence, and he turned quickly, meeting her gaze for a moment before looking at the cups in her hand. Silently, she offered a cup to him, and he strode over to her, taking it without a word.

She really hoped this wasn't how the next few weeks were going to go. She couldn't handle his stony silence; it would just push her over the already shaky edge she was on.

She had to fix this. If that meant finally admitting how she felt, then she'd admit her damn feelings already. She took a steadying breath, setting her cup down on a table before turning to keep her gaze on Gibbs, eventually causing him to look at her, a question in his face.

"Jen…"

"Don't say anything." she said, lifting a hand in his direction. "I realize that there are three billion men in the world, and they don't all have to want me. I do realize that, Jethro. What I do not know, however, are your feelings for me. I know you feel something for me, but I don't know if it's alive, or if I completely lost my chance six years ago. But you should want me. You should want me Jethro. And if you don't, then I don't know why I ever wanted you in the first place."

As she'd been speaking, Gibbs had drifted closer and closer to her, his face growing more and more amused as she talked. She stared at him as he moved closer, feeling confused by his actions. Her confusion increased when his face inched closer to hers and he still hadn't said a word.

As he had listened to her talk, Gibbs' amusement intensified. She'd managed to solve his problem for him, and he smirked as he listened to her. He watched her face fill with confusion, but her eyes grow darker, turning from an emerald to a forest green. He didn't wait as he pressed his lips to hers, bringing his good hand to her waist, drawing her into him.

Jen felt his lips make contact with hers and she moaned, giving him access. He quickly took advantage, and pushed his tongue in, dueling with hers. Jen's hands traveled up to his neck, being careful to not press against his wound, and laced into his silvery hair.

When air became a necessity, they broke apart, and their eyes made contact, green meeting cobalt. In that instant, Jen knew that the next month would be more than enjoyable, and she kissed him again, gently this time, letting her softer feelings out. Gibbs' hand went up to stroke her face gently, his kisses just as soft.

He went to the buttons of her shirt, working them out with one hand and tracing the pale skin he revealed, eliciting a low moan from Jen. She shrugged out of the shirt, letting it fall to the ground, leaving her in her red lacy bra. Her hands went the hem of his shirt, carefully lifting it upward, being careful to avoid his injury.

After she'd maneuvered the material over his shoulder, she carelessly threw the shirt against the wall, letting her hands drop to his chest, tracing the muscles of his lower abdomen, hearing his hiss of breath and low groan. His good hand was in her hair, running through the long strands, falling to her shoulders, stroking the smooth skin under the straps of her bra, causing her to tilt her head backwards, hitting gently against the door Gibbs had her pushed up against.

His pressed his groin into hers, capturing her mouth under his in a hot kiss that made her head spin. Jen ground her hips against him in response, causing him to groan loudly and drop his hand to her jeans, quickly conquering the button and with Jen's help, pushing them to the floor, where Jen stepped out of them.

Gibbs' gaze raked over her half naked body, the irises turning impossibly darker with arousal. He met Jen's darkened gaze as he felt her hands on his waist, and his jeans didn't stay on for long. She guided him to the bed, carefully pulling him on top of her, sighing as his warmth enveloped her.

She arched her back, letting his hands worm underneath her, unclasping her bra, and slowly sliding it down her shoulders, his mouth going to her collarbone and trailing openmouthed kisses down to her breasts, his tongue flicking against a taunt nipple, causing Jen to buck her hips against his, making him smirk against her skin.

He continued downward, across her flat stomach to her hipbones. His teeth nibbled on the taunt skin, causing Jen to gasp loudly and move against him. He kissed down her thighs, landing on her kneecaps, before rounding back up to her inner thigh, pressing kisses into the heated skin. He pulled her underwear down slowly, pulling on the lace, inching it down her long legs.

He was moving much too slowly for Jen's liking, and so she took the underwear and got it off herself before pulling Gibbs back up and kissing him hard, making him groan against her lips. She pulled off his restrictive boxers quickly, letting him press himself against her, and she moaned at the feeling of his hot, slick body against hers again. He looked at her, eyes dark with desire and lust, and kissed her once more, swallowing her gasp as he slid into her slowly.

Jen's eyes fluttered as he began to move over her, his hand by her head, supporting himself over her. One of her hands wrapped around his uninjured bicep as her body arched against him, her mouth pressed into his good shoulder, muffling her cries. Her legs wrapped around his waist, holding herself to him as he moved within her.

Gibbs' had almost forgotten what Jen felt like underneath him, how her moans affected him, how her smell intoxicated him. He captured her lips once more, tasting her.

He brought her to the edge, feeling her desperation in her kisses, hearing her cry out his name as shudders wracked her body. The look in her eyes was more than enough to make him lose it, and he kissed her hard, feeling her hands come around his neck, tangling in his hair.

He rolled off of her, his good shoulder hitting the sheets, taking the brunt of his fall. He shifted, pulling Jen into his embrace. She nestled against him, her slowing breath washing over his neck as she placed languid kisses on his shoulder. Her long crimson curls draped across his chest, and his good hands stroked down the length of her arm, brushing against her ribs, causing her to shiver slightly.

She looked up at him, her green eyes flashing with amusement as she met his blue gaze. She raised an eyebrow at him, a smirk prominent on her lips. Gibbs' gaze fell to her ruby red lips, sinful thoughts filling his head. Jen seemed to sense his thoughts, because a throaty laugh escaped her lips. At the sound of her amusement, Gibbs pulled her head to his level, kissing her hungrily.

Jen's soft moans urged him on, and he drew her underneath him again. Six years was a long time, and even gunshot wounds couldn't keep him from enjoying Jennifer Shepard.

-NCISNCISNCISNCIS-

Hours later, Jen and Gibbs lay in bed, exhausted but sated.

They'd made love again before getting up; they both needed sustenance, and coffee was desperately needed. They'd been relaxing in bed the entire day; a first, really, for both of them. Jen was reclining against his chest, letting herself drift off slightly as his fingers combed through her hair. She looked up when his fingers stopped, meeting his look.

"Jen, what do you say to a long, hot bath? I think we both need it."

"Wow, I never thought I'd hear those words pass through your lips, Jethro. But since you asked, yes. I'll go start the water." Jen replied, shaking her head at him before leaning up and kissing him quickly.

She stood and walked into the bathroom, heading towards her bathtub and starting the hot water. She looked into the mirror, examining her appearance.

Her hair was mussed from sex, her lips swollen, and her eyes were bright, and happy. She hadn't looked or felt like this in _years_, and she loved it.

She could not believe that this was how today had played out. Making love with Jethro hadn't exactly been on her to-do list this morning, but she was thrilled it had happened.

She looked up when she heard footsteps, and smiled up at Gibbs when he walked over and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pressed a kiss to her hair, pulling her into his embrace.

She carefully took off his bandages, revealing the raw, red skin underneath. He winced when her small fingers applied even the gentlest pressure, and Jen was careful as she caressed the wound. She pressed a chaste kiss to his shoulder before turning to check on the water, adjusting the temperature.

She grabbed her robe, and much to Gibbs' disappointment, slipped into it before heading out into the hallway. She opened up a closest in her hallway, taking out two plush towels, a few vanilla-scented candles, and a box of matches. She walked back into the bathroom, setting the towels down by the tub and lighting the candles.

Soon, the bathroom held the calming scent of vanilla bean, and the tub was full of warm water. Jen hung her robe back on the hook and turned to Gibbs, who was sliding into the bathtub, letting out a sigh as the warmth of the water hit his wound. Jen walked over to the tub, making a noise in the back of her throat to get him to move. He slid forward, and Jen carefully climbed in, enjoying the feeling of the bathwater.

She sat behind him, her long, pale legs intertwining with his darker ones as he hands caressed his sides, skimming dangerously lower. He leaned back, pinching her thigh lightly when her hand brushed against him. She squealed quietly, smacking his good shoulder while glaring playfully at him.

She wet a washcloth and gentle cleaned his wound, kissing his neck when he winced at her soft touch. The warm water washed away some of the dead skin, and when Jen had finished, the area looked less inflamed and angry. She pressed a soft kiss to his injured shoulder, meeting Gibbs' gaze tenderly.

He captured her lips in a delicate kiss, expressing his gratitude to her. This was better than Positano; now that they had had time to grow and learn that they needed each other, it was a whole new level of a relationship. She pulled away first, her green eyes filled with emotion. She stood, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around herself before helping Gibbs stand and handing him the other towel.

She threw her hair up in a messy ponytail, securing the towel underneath her arms. Gibbs wrapped his arms around her, kissing her on the cheek gently. She rested her forehead against his, her hands lying softly on his shoulders. He searched her face, confused as to her sudden hesitation. She bit her lip as she met his curious gaze.

"I'm sorry, Jethro."

"For what Jen? You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I'm sorry for breaking your heart. I know, it was a long time ago, but I still feel that regret and pain every single day. Every time I've met your gaze, or spoken to you, or even so much as thought about you these past few weeks, I've felt that pain in my heart, and I've wanted to tell you how sorry I am. I am so sorry Jethro, for leaving, and for hurting you the way I did. I don't know how else to put it." Jen said, her brilliant green eyes starting to fill with tears as she spoke. Gibbs stared at her, shocked to hear the words coming out of her mouth.

He knew that she felt regret about leaving six years ago, but he hadn't expected her to feel like this. She was tearing herself up about this, and it hurt him to see her like this. He put a hand under her chin, tilting it up so that she was forced to meet his gaze. He stayed silent for a moment before tenderly wiping away the tears from underneath her eyes.

"You didn't break my heart Jen." Gibbs said, shushing her when she tried to argue. "You took it with you. You've had it with you, all these years. It isn't your entire fault either. I should have come after you when you left. I was an idiot; I was proud, and hurt, and ashamed. If I had only come after you, then we never would have stopped. We never would have gotten off track, and this would have been how we spent the last six years, instead of apart like we did."

Jen's tear-filled eyes met his in surprise. His words hit her and she couldn't help the tiny smile that spread across her face. It was Gibbs-speak for an apology, because he didn't believe in real apologies.

"Jethro…"

Her soft reply was quieted by Gibbs' lips on hers, silencing her. The kiss was emotion-filled, raw and sensual. They let all of their feelings flood into the kiss; they let the years of separation, the hurt, the happiness of their reunion tell each other about their love.

They broke apart, their breathing ragged. Cobalt met emerald, and the air between them became charged. Gibbs looked deeply into Jen's eyes, watching the way they flickered when his lips brushed hers.

Jen's arms encircled his neck, pulling his body closer to her, letting her curves mold themselves to him. His hand went to her waist, pulling her against his hips. Kissing, he pushed her against the bathroom counter, pulling the towel off of her body as he let his own towel fall to the floor. He lifted her up onto the counter and let her wrap her legs around his waist, drawing him in closer.

He kissed her hard, feeling her moan against his lips when he slipped into her. The counter did nothing for his knees as he thrust into her, but he simply muffled his groans in her hair. He brought her over the edge quickly; emotional sex had always been fast, even in Europe.

He kissed her off her high, slipping out of her and helping her off of the counter, pulling her into a tight hug. She glanced up, her green eyes filled with a look of sated happiness. She kissed him gently, smiling at him when he pulled away. She re-bandaged his left side, soothing the pain with a kiss before grabbing his painkillers and watching closely as he swallowed them with a glass of water.

After blowing out the candles in the bathroom, she led him back into the bedroom, quickly slipping into a nightgown and throwing a pair of boxers at Gibbs. She climbed into bed, cuddling up next to him as he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her even closer. She looked up at him sleepily, smiling once more before pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek. She rested her head on his right shoulder, breathing in his scent before letting herself drift.

What a day.

* * *

Am I forgiven for Gibbs' bastard-like qualities last chapter? I just felt that it was time for Gibbs to get his act together and kiss her already. Please review, it makes me smile!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: An update? On this story? The sky is falling somewhere I'm sure. My muse just decided to pull a Gibbs and go on vacation to Mexico. Hopefully, this is worth the wait.

Jen woke up slowly, her eyes blinking open to the bright light streaming through her window. She shifted her gaze to the man lying next to her, a happy sigh escaping her lips. She watched Gibbs sleep peacefully, the corners of his mouth twitching every so often.

She slipped out of the bed carefully, making sure not to jostle the mattress when she stood. She grabbed her robe and slipped into it, cinching the sash tightly around her waist. She stepped into the bathroom, tying her hair up into a loose ponytail before continuing downstairs to the kitchen.

She started coffee, grabbing two mugs and placing them on the counter near the maker. She rifled around in her fridge, pulling items out to make breakfast. Contrary to popular belief, she was actually a pretty skilled cook. Just because she was the Director of a Federal Agency did not mean she couldn't cook. Keeping it simple, she fried bacon and made eggs to go with the coffee, and added toast. Hoping that she had enough food for Jethro, she cooked slowly, not wanting to wake him. After yesterday, he needed the rest.

Yesterday. She blushed just thinking about it. It hadn't exactly happened how she'd wanted it to, but she was glad it had. She just hoped Jethro hadn't hurt himself; after all he had been shot a little less than a week ago. The bath had cleaned his wounds; they'd looked a little less inflamed when she'd re-bandaged them, but they were still red and angry looking. Jen couldn't imagine what kind of pain he was in, and she knew it was difficult for him to admit that he was hurting.

Sighing, she slid the bacon onto a plate with a paper towel to absorb the grease and turned the burner off, putting the hot pan back on the stove. She finished the eggs and covered them with foil to keep them warm. She was just pouring coffee into the two waiting cups when a deep voice in the doorway startled her.

"Now you cook?" Jen turned, and smiled when she caught sight of Gibbs watching her.

"Jethro, I've always been able to cook. You just never let me." Jen retorted, bringing the mug of steaming coffee over to him. He accepted it with a smile, leaning over and brushing a light kiss to her lips. "Mmm. Morning. How's your shoulder? Are you in any pain?"

"Jen, I'm fine." Gibbs said, rolling his eyes.

"Do not you roll your eyes at me Leroy Jethro Gibbs. You got shot less than a week ago, and yesterday you didn't exactly take it easy." Jen said, giving him a look. "I'm just worried you're going to do more damage to it. I don't like seeing you hurt."

"Jenny, I promise I'm fine." Gibbs said, coming forward and wrapping an arm around her waist, tugging her closer. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, his lips lingering. "You worry too much."

"Jethro, I'll worry as much as I want to. Do you have any idea what it felt like to watch you get shot? To stand behind those crates and watch you fall? Jethro, I was terrified. And all that blood…" Jen trailed off, the images flashing before her eyes. Gibbs watched her, the protective side he rarely showed starting to come forward. He pulled her closer, letting her bury her face in his good shoulder.

"I'm fine though, Jenny. A little banged up, but fine nonetheless. You've known me long enough to know that trouble seems to find me." Gibbs said, rubbing her back with one hand. She laughed quietly at his words, rubbing her face on his shirt collar. She sighed before pulling away, wiping the rest of her tears away.

"Hungry?"

"Starving." Gibbs said, grinning. Jen rolled her eyes before turning and grabbing two plates out of her cabinet. She filled both plates with food before grabbing her coffee and bringing everything over to the table. She put one plate in front of Gibbs and sat across from him, taking a sip of her coffee. Looking up, she caught sight of Gibbs frowning at her.

"What?"

"You're too far." he whined, and Jen rolled her eyes, laughing.

"Jethro, I think you'll survive. It's just breakfast."

"It'd be better if you were next to me…" Gibbs said, trailing off. Jen snorted, rolling her eyes as she moved to the other side of the table, settling in the chair on his right side. Gibbs' face held a proud look on it, and Jen drank her coffee shaking her head. A warm hand inched up her thigh, and Jen placed her hand over it before it could go too high.

"Jethro, so help me God, it's only seven in the morning. It is way too early for that." Jen said, glaring at him.

"It was never too early in Paris." Gibbs taunted, moving his hand another inch higher.

"That was also six years ago." Jen reminded him, raising an eyebrow.

"Still haven't learned to pace yourself Jen?"

"I'm not that one who doesn't last more than two minutes in the shower." Jen said, her eyes gleaming with mirth. Gibbs' gaze darkened, and he leaned closer, his face mere inches from hers.

"I will get you for that."

"Sure you will Jethro. I'm sure you will." Jen said, laughing as she ate her food. Gibbs glared at her for a few moments before digging into his own breakfast. They ate in comfortable silence, the atmosphere light and happy in the small kitchen.

Jen marveled at the ease in which they'd slipped into this…thing- she didn't even know what to call this thing they'd started. She didn't want to call it a relationship this soon into it wasn't going to last; she hoped it would, but she knew that they had a lot to overcome if they wanted to make this work. She hoped he wanted to make it work; it had been a long, tough six years, and she was ready for a long-term, committed relationship with a man. One that people knew about and respected, because she was sick of men on the Hill discovering she was single and thinking that that meant she would be willing to be with anyone. She knew that it wouldn't be easy; since Jethro was one of her best Agents and her subordinate she knew that there would be rumors and that the media would have a field day, but she didn't care. She was willing to make it work if he was, because she loved him.

Gibbs glanced over at Jen, who had a distant look in his eyes that he recognized. She was obviously lost in thought, and he couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking about. Yesterday had been incredible, and he was extremely thankful it had finally happened. He hadn't stopped thinking about her since she had left. He tried to forget her with Stephanie, but that hadn't helped in the slightest, and he'd only hurt both himself and Stephanie. It hadn't been easy, getting used to seeing her again, but they'd finally managed to find even ground, and been able to be friends. He hoped that she wanted to make this work; he wanted this to last this time. He knew it wouldn't be easy; she was his boss, and she was a public figure. The media would love it; the head of a Federal Agency dating one of her Team Leaders? It'd be a great headline.

He glanced over at her, slipping one of his hands into hers and intertwining their fingers. She looked up at him, startled from her thoughts. She glanced down at their hands before meeting his gaze again, questioning.

"You're thinking about something. Care to share?"

"Do you really want to know?" Jen asked, tilting her head slightly. Gibbs nodded, and Jen took a deep breath before speaking again. "I was just wondering about…after this month is over. About what's going to happen. With us, that is. If we'll be able to make this work."

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing." Gibbs said, raising an eyebrow. Jen mirrored his actions, her lips curving into a smile. "And personally, I think we can. We're both intelligent people, and I think that our feelings are strong enough to put up with the scrutiny that the media will put us under. I know that I'm willing to make this thing work."

"I am too. I wasn't saying that I don't want to…it's just that there's a lot that comes with having a relationship with someone like me. It won't be all fun and games, and the media won't be forgiving." Jen said, looking at him intently. He looked back, not breaking the gaze.

"I know that Jenny. And frankly, I don't care."

"You mean that?" Jen said, the barely disguised hope in her eyes.

"Of course I do Jen." Gibbs said, putting up a mock offended air. "I can't believe you'd doubt me."

"Oh shut up Jethro." Jen said, laughing as she smacked his good arm lightly, rolling her eyes. She reached up and kissed him lightly, cupping his cheek in one hand. Gibbs went to wrap his arms around her, and groaned when he moved his injured arm. Jen broke away quickly, worry evident in her eyes. "Are you alright? What hurts?"

"Jen, calm down. I just have to remember not to move my shoulder like that again. It kind of hurts." Gibbs said, wincing slightly as Jen ran her fingers lightly over his shoulder.

"Kind of? Jethro you're bleeding through your bandages!" Jen said, her fingers trembling slightly as they ran over the stained bindings. Standing, she took Gibbs' good hand and led him back upstairs to the bedroom. She carefully peeled off the bandages, and after running a washcloth under warm water, she gently cleaned away the blood. She re-bandaged the gunshot wounds, gently kissing the clean wrappings when she'd finished. Gibbs leaned down, capturing her lips in a gentle kiss to thank her. But when he went to deepen the kiss, Jen pulled away, shaking her head. "Not until your shoulder is healed. I won't have you hurting yourself even more."

"Jen you're gonna be the death of me." Gibbs groaned, resting his forehead on hers.

"Jethro, I promise, once the doctor gives you the all-clear, you can ravish me as much as you want. Just let your shoulder get better first." Jen said, running a hand through his short hair. "You think it's easy for me? It's been six years Jethro."

"Jen…I hate it when you cut me off." Gibbs complained, kissing her hair.

"Yeah, I know. I'm going to be hearing about it for the next month." Jen grumbled, rolling her eyes. She kissed his cheek before pulling away, rolling her neck. She walked towards the bathroom, stopping at the doorway. She turned, looking at him through her lashes. "I'm going to shower. I'm sure you'll find something to entertain yourself with until I finish."

Gibbs groaned as the bathroom door shut. That woman really was going to be the death of him.

A/N: Again, I feel terrible that it's taken so long for this to come out. I'm really not sure when the next update will be; my muse just isn't helping me much with this one.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Well, this was quite fun to write :) Thank you to Jen Crocker and Duncan for your suggestions; you're part of the reason this chapter is coming out faster than I expected. Also thank you to HesMinesx, blackwidowmistress, louise, and MissJayne for your reviews! They make me smile, and they really do help me to write. Alright, I've rambled enough. Tell me what you guys think!

Back at the bullpen…

Anthony DiNozzo gazed around the empty bullpen, debating which agent to make his next target. Should he choose the Probie, or his crazy ninja chick, Ziva David? Oh, the possibilities…He looked up when his name was called, fearing momentarily for his life. Was that the boss calling his name?

"Anthony DiNozzo!" Tony sighed in relief when Ducky strode into the bullpen, holding a rather large cup of coffee. He must just being hearing things, that's why he'd thought he'd heard Gibbs' voice. One heart attack averted, hundreds more to come this month.

"Hey Ducky."

"I thought you might be needing this, given your current position." Ducky said, handing him the steaming cup of coffee. Tony looked at him, confused, and Ducky clarified. "You are now Gibbs, correct?"

"Oh, right. Yeah, thanks Ducky." Tony said, taking a sip of the coffee. Heavy on the sugar, just the way he liked it.

"Oh, it was my pleasure Anthony. I do wish you luck, my dear boy. Being Gibbs is no small feat." Ducky said, shaking a finger.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Ducky." Tony said, feeling slightly uneasy.

"Oh, you always have my confidence Anthony." Ducky said, clapping his shoulder before continuing on his way down to Autopsy. Tony watched him for a moment before shrugging and taking another sip of his coffee, savoring the sweetness. He was just sitting at his desk when the elevator dinged, signaling the rest of the team's arrival. Ziva and McGee stepped off together; Ziva was laughing at something McGee had said, and McGee was shaking his head, smiling.

"Something funny, you two?" Tony asked, feeling slightly left out.

"Oh, McGee was just telling me about his plans for this weekend." Ziva said as she placed her coat behind her desk.

"That right Probie?" Tony asked, getting up from his chair. He watched McGee take his coat off and set it behind his desk, staying silent. "Well, elflord?"

"Yes, Tony." McGee said, sitting behind his desk and promptly ignoring Tony. Just as Tony was about to push him even more, the phone on Gibbs' desk rang, deterring him. They all stared at the phone, no one moving an inch. Slowly, Tony walked over to the desk, gingerly picking up the ringing receiver.

"Special Agent Gibbs' desk." Tony said. "No, he'll be out of the office for the rest of the month. Yes, of course I'll tell him you called. Yes, yes alright. Bye."

"Who was that?" Ziva asked, curious.

"I have no idea. Some woman looking for the boss." Tony said, walking back over to his desk. "Speaking of women, where is our fearless leader, the lovely Director?"

"You do not know?" Ziva asked, her eyebrows rising. "And you do know she asked us not to call her that Tony."

"Don't know what, Zee-vah?" Tony asked, waggling his eyebrows. "And I don't see her around to reprimand me."

"Gibbs is staying with the Director while his wounds heal." McGee said, looking up from his computer.

"And how do you know this?" Tony asked, outraged. How had he not known this before right this second?

"Because Jenny is my friend, and she informed me that I would need to keep a close eye on you, since neither she nor Gibbs will be here for the next four weeks." Ziva said, raising one of her eyebrows. "And she gave me permission to do this." With that, Ziva stood and walked over to Tony, head slapping him.

"And you, McGoo?" Tony demanded, turning to the younger man after he glared at Ziva, rubbing the back of his head.

"Ziva told me in the elevator." McGee answered, turning to look at Tony with a superior look on his face. Tony glared, still disbelieving he hadn't known about this. Then, a thought struck him, and his face broke out into a grin. Both Ziva and McGee looked at him suspiciously, not sure what to make of his sudden mood change. "Tony? Why are you smiling?"

"Oh, I just had a thought. The Director and Gibbs, alone, for an entire month?" Tony said, and Ziva rolled her eyes, knowing where his thoughts were headed.

"Tony, will you drop this already? Why do you care so much about whether Jenny and Gibbs were lovers in Europe?" Ziva asked.

"Because, Zee-vah, this is Gibbs we're talking about. Have you ever seen him in love, ever? I think Jenny's different." Tony explained, looking between Ziva and McGee. "Hundred bucks says they hook up again before the month is over."

"Tony, I will not get sucked into another one of your stupid bets. Last time, Gibbs head slapped me so hard I felt my brain move." McGee said, shaking his head.

"Oh come on McScaredycat. How is he gonna find out?" Tony said, rolling his eyes. McGee looked at him for a moment, debating.

"Fine. You're on." McGee said, narrowing his eyes. Tony smirked before turning back to Ziva.

"Officer David? Will you be joining us?"

"Oh yes. Two hundred says they will have slept together by next week." Ziva said, a smirk prominent on her face. She was using her knowledge of Jenny to make her bet; Jenny had divulged just a bit too much one drunken night in Cairo, and so Ziva knew that at least something had occurred between Jenny and Gibbs.

"Oh, betting high are we? You do know that Gibbs was shot three times, right? Even he isn't stupid enough to push it." Tony said, shaking his head. "But we will see."

"Tony, how exactly will we know if they've…hooked up or not?" McGee asked, wincing at the words. This was Gibbs and the Director they were talking about. He felt like he was overstepping some boundary just thinking about it.

"Hm, that could pose a problem…" Tony said, scratching his chin thoughtfully.

"We could use Abby. She is the favorite." Ziva pointed out, and Tony turned to her, eyes bright with excitement.

"Brilliant! We send Abby with a get well card for Gibbs, and she can tell us if they act any differently. Oh, yes!" Tony exclaimed, dancing around the bullpen.

Ducky watched the three agents bet on his two friends, shaking his head. Would they never learn? Why could Anthony just leave Jennifer and Jethro alone? Ducky just wanted the two thickheaded people to see that they were made for each other. He hoped that this month would show the two of them that although much had transpired since they were last together, they both still loved each other. He didn't know if he should tell the two of this plan; he was rather curious to see the outcome, to be honest.

-NCISNCISNCISNCIS-

Abby walked into her lab, firing up her babies as she walked. It felt weird, being at work and knowing that Gibbs wasn't going to walk through the door, Caf-Pow! in hand. And the Director wouldn't be here either, and it just felt…off. At least Timmy would be there; he'd said he'd come down and see her later.

She walked into her office, throwing her coat on her chair. She headed over to her stereo, going through her music, selecting the newest Android Lust CD and popping it in. The music blasted, and she danced into her lab, hips swaying. She stopped short when she caught sight of Tony standing in her lab, and then ran over to him, hugging him tightly.

"Tony! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Well, I've started a bet on Jenny and Gibbs and I thought you'd want in." Tony said after she'd released him.

"A bet on Mommy and Daddy? Do tell!" Abby squealed, jumping up and down.

"Well, you know that Gibbs is staying with Jenny for a month, right? Well, I have a hundred bucks on them getting together by the end of the months, McGee has a hundred on them not, and Ziva has two hundred on them sleeping together by the end of the week." Tony explained, leaning on her table.

"Oh, I have three hundred on we'll have a Gibblet in nine months." Abby said, grinning widely.

"Interesting." Tony said, smiling. "There is one more thing."

"Lay it on me." Abby said, hands on her hips.

"We need you to confirm if they actually are together. We're going to send you to Jenny's house with a get well card for Gibbs. We figured, since you're the favorite, he wouldn't hurt you." Tony said, looking a little sheepish.

"Oh, Gibbs would never hurt me. I'm in." Abby said, bouncing excitedly. This was going to be fun.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: This chapter is finally complete. My new job is taking up way more time than I thought it would, and my head cold set me back writing. I would just like to say thank you to my lovely reviewers; writingfreak145, louise, deidi, blackwidowmistress, Miss Jayne, and HesMines. I love your feedback and input :) I'm dedicating this chapter to Miss Jayne, who is pushing through another year of Everyday Thoughts. This will (hopefully) put you in the mood to write a little more, or at least make you smile :)

Jen stepped back into her bedroom after her shower, her robe cinched at the waist. She'd already dried her hair, pulling the curls into a low ponytail. She'd bypassed makeup- she rarely wore it at home anyway. Selecting a pair of simple black track pants and a plain white long-sleeved shirt, she slipped into them, hanging her robe back up.

She walked down her stairs, her hand running over the banister. She was mildly curious as to what Jethro had done during her shower, but she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know. Reaching her entryway, she looked around, frowning. Where _was_ Jethro?

She walked towards her study, shaking her head. If he was trying to sneak a bourbon in when she wasn't looking…

"Jethro?"

Finding her study empty, she started to worry. Her house was only so big, and she was sure if Jethro looked hard enough he'd find something to snoop through. Where the hell was he?

"Boo." Gibbs whispered in her ear, coming up behind her. She jumped, turning around to glare at him.

"Jethro what the hell?" Jen demanded, her hands on her hips. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"Just wanted to see if I can still sneak up on you." Gibbs replied, grabbing hold of her waist and tugging her closer.

"Well you succeeded. And you managed to make my blood pressure skyrocket." Jen retorted, rolling her eyes, but going with the motion anyway. She slipped her arms around his neck carefully, minding his wound.

"Ah, come on Jen. Live a little." Gibbs said, dropping a kiss to her neck.

"Jethro, I already said no. I think we can survive a month." Jen said, looking at him seriously. Gibbs groaned, his head falling to her shoulder. "Jethro, we went six years. I think we can handle a month."

"Jen we went six years because we had to! I hate having you this close and not being to touch you."

"Jethro you can touch me…just nothing more than that." Jen said, causing Gibbs to glare at her. "Jethro, glaring at me isn't going to change anything."

"Jen…" Gibbs whined, but Jen slipped a hand over his mouth, silencing him.

"Shut up." he continued to glare, but eventually relented, capturing her hand in his.

"Fine."

"What _are_ we going to do for a month?" Jen inquired, walking into the living room and sinking onto the couch, grabbing a book from the side table.

"I have-"

"No Jethro. Don't even start." Jen interrupted, not looking up from her novel. Gibbs sent her a glare before sitting down next to her on the couch. He contented himself with stroking his fingertips up her thigh, watching her face flush pink. "I'm warning you…"

"You said I could touch. So that is what I am doing." Gibbs said, throwing her own words in her face. She raised an eyebrow, but didn't protest again when he drew his hand up her thigh.

Jen felt Gibbs' fingers on her thigh, and it took all of her strength not to close her eyes. She continued to read her book, but she'd been reading the same sentence five times. If he was going to be like this for the entire month, it was going to be a long four weeks.

-NCISNCISNCISNCIS-

They'd managed to survive the rest of the day without much major incident, although Jethro decided to try and put too much weight on his injured shoulder, causing his shoulder to once again bleed through his bandages, _again_. His frustration at being injured was causing him to be an idiot, and Jen didn't know how to make him listen. She'd made her 'no sex' rule in hopes that he wouldn't injury himself, but it appeared that that was only making things worse. It wasn't that she didn't want him to touch her; she wanted him just as badly as he wanted her, but she couldn't stand the thought that he would hurt himself more because of her. She wanted him to understand that if he could wait this month out, then he would get his strength back faster.

They'd just finished eating and were just settling down to watch a movie when there was a knock on Jen's front door. She sighed and kissed him once before standing up, rolling her neck as she walked to her door. She opened the door to reveal a nervous-looking Abby.

"Hi, Director. I hope this isn't a bad time. The team signed a get-well card for Gibbs and asked me to bring it to him. And…I was hoping I could see him." Abby said, shifting her weight from foot to foot. Jen smiled softly, opening the door wider to allow the girl to enter.

"It's fine, Abby. He's right in there."

"Gibbs!" Abby squealed, running to him in her platform boots, throwing her arms up. Gibbs pushed the thick afghan off of his legs that Jen had thrown over them before the movie had started, standing before Abby attacked him. He winced when her hand brushed his injured shoulder, and she must have felt it, because she pulled away, her face reflecting Jen's.

"Ohmigosh I am so sorry Gibbs! Are you okay, well I mean I know you can't be okay because you got shot and everything but I mean does it hurt? Well that's a stupid question I mean, of course it hurts because you got shot but I mean…"

"Abs, breathe. I'm fine. I'm in good hands." Gibbs said, looking up and meeting Jen's gaze. She bit her lip, a blush crossing her face and lowering her gaze so that her eyes wouldn't betray her emotion. Unbeknownst to them, Abby caught the entire exchange and filed it away. Something was definitely going on between them, she was sure.

"Are you listening to the Director, Gibbs? 'Cuz if you're 'listening' like you listen in the office, I don't think you're going to be doing any healing." Abby said, her hands on her hips and her tone scolding. Gibbs rolled his eyes and Jen hid a giggle in her hand.

"Abby, so far he's been a good patient. He just needs to learn his limits." Jen said, raising an eyebrow at him. To Gibbs, her insinuation was clear, and Abby picked up on it, though she didn't show it.

"Well Gibbs, learn your limits. We miss you, and you too Director. It isn't the same without Mommy and Daddy." Abby said, pouting slightly. She handed the blue envelope to Gibbs, a smile replacing the pout. "This is from the team, Ducky, and I."

"Thanks, Abs." Gibbs said, accepting the envelope with a nod.

"No problem Gibbs. Get better soon!" Abby said, hugging him carefully. She pulled away and hugged a surprised looking Jen, causing Gibbs to laugh. "Good luck Director! Tony and Ziva and Timmy and Ducky want to see you guys too. Can I tell them that they could visit you guys?"

"Um…why don't you give it a week or two, Abby? Let Jethro's shoulder heal a little before we have more visitors." Jen suggested, using his first name without thinking. Abby's eyes widened, but she said nothing.

"Sure Director. I have to go; the nuns will be wondering where I am. We have a tournament this weekend and Sister Rosita is trying to bowl a perfect game." Abby said, bouncing happily. She waved to them both before turning and leaving, shutting the door quietly behind. Jen turned to Gibbs, her eyes wide.

"She drinks way too much caffeine."

"Yeah, but that's the Abby we know and love." Gibbs said with a shrug, beckoning Jen to sit back down next to him. She curled into his uninjured side, her head resting on his chest as he wrapped his arm around her. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, absently running his hand along her spine as the movie started. Jen sighed quietly, cuddling closer to him and pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. For once, Gibbs didn't push his luck, just enjoyed having her in his arms for the first time in six years.

-NCISNCISNCISNCIS-

As soon as she had left the Director's house, Abby put her phone to her ear, Tony's number dialed. As soon as he picked up, she squealed in his ear.

"I'm going to win this pool!"


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Ah! Sorry, I know that it's been a month since I updated. Have I ever told you that I suck at time management? I'll try harder with the next chapter, I promise. And a thank you shout-out to my reviewers! ncisgirl2389, louise, HesMines, Miss Jayne, Kizumi9180, and Tempe4Boothe, you are all my heroes for helping me continue with this story. You're helping me by being replacement muses; I always appreciate your input and suggestions. And your always kind words :) Please keep them up, and I do hope you enjoy this chapter! Be forewarned, there's smut, so if you don't like it, don't read it!

* * *

The week that followed was relatively smooth.

Gibbs had decided to not push his luck anymore, seeing as how set Jen was on waiting this month out. But the week had been torture for him, and he was…frustrated, to say the least. Cold showers weren't helping in the slightest, and he needed relief.

Little did he know, so was she.

Jen didn't know how she was going to last another three weeks. While Jethro hadn't pushed her, his teasing was torture. He'd used his 'touch but no more' limit as much as he could, and had succeeded in making her feel hot and bothered more than once. It was killing her, and she needed relief.

She was walking upstairs with a laundry basket when she felt him come up behind her.

"Jethro, what are you doing?" she asked, setting the basket down on the landing and turning to face him. He gave her one of his famous half-smiles, his eyes a deep blue.

"Kissing you." was his reply, before he leaned down, capturing her lips under his. Jenny indulged him, her arms slipping around his neck. His shoulder had healed nicely, the bullet holes shrinking and starting to close up, and looking less red and inflamed. He was moving it more freely, although too much pressure caused him to wince and grit his teeth.

He slowly backed her up against the wall, pushing his tongue into her mouth. She let him probe her mouth, moaning quietly. He pushed against her, their lower halves pressed firmly together. Jenny broke away, breathing heavily.

"Jethro, no…"

"Jen, I need you. This week has been torture." Gibbs growled, his voice low in her ear. The feel of his breath on her neck made her feel dizzy, and she tried to take a deep breath, finding it impossible.

"But Jethro…your shoulder…"

"Is fine Jen." Gibbs said, pressing into her. Feeling him pressing against her core made the spiral of arousal that had been growing all week go into overdrive, and her breathing hitched, coming out in pants. "Please Jenny."

"Yes, yes fine. But…but if you hurt yourself…you tell me." Jenny said, her voice punctured by her shallow breaths.

"Scouts honor." Gibbs mumbled against her lips as he pushed her towards the bedroom, leaving the laundry forgotten on the landing.

Closing the door behind them, he pulled her against him, kissing her fervently and passionately. His right arm was around her waist, keeping her against his chest, while his left pushed into her hair, wrapping the crimson strands around his fingers.

Jen's fingers slid to the buttons on Gibbs' shirt, hurriedly getting through them and pressing her hands into his muscular chest, reveling in his low groan. Gibbs retaliated by biting down gently on her lower lip, bringing it into his mouth to sooth the teeth marks. His hand slid to her t-shirt, creeping under the material and stroking her stomach, eliciting a loud moan from Jen, particularly when his hand slipped under the waistband of her jeans, undoing the button and stroking her through her panties.

"Jethro…please, I can't stand the teasing." Jenny mumbled against his shoulder, biting down gently. Gibbs smirked, pulling the t-shirt over her head, exposing her black lacy bra. Leaning down, he pressed kisses to the exposed skin, running along the swell of her breast with his tongue. "This…this is what I meant by teasing."

"I like making you wait, Jen." Gibbs replied, her voice rough and low in her ear as he kissed up the column of her throat. She shivered under his touch, completely removing the shirt from his shoulders and working the button out of his jeans. Before she could get the zipper down, he pushed her against the mattress. He stood in-between her legs, leaning over her as he kissed her. Her hands flew to the zipper of his jeans, undoing it and pushing his jeans down, running her hand over the front of his boxers, causing him to buck his hips slightly.

"Pace yourself Jethro." Jen rasped, a seductive smile playing on her lips as she pushed his jeans down further. After they pooled at his feet, he stepped out of them, leaving him in only his boxers.

"Look whose talkin' Jen." Jethro growled in reply, his fingers slowly pulling the zipper of her jeans down and pushing his hands inside, sliding the material down her thighs. He moved at an agonizingly slow pace, his fingers stroking along her pale skin. After what felt like an eternity, he pulled them off of her, tossing them aside.

He pressed soft kisses to her inner thigh, hearing her breathing falter when he moved higher. He hooked his fingers into the straps of her panties, pulling them off of her legs and throwing them to the floor.

But when he went to kiss her inner thighs again, she pulled him back up, kissing him.

"I told you, no more teasing Jethro." Jen said, her voice breathless. Her hands went to the hem of his boxers, yanking them off and chucking them away, really not caring about anything at the moment except Jethro.

He kissed her hard, his tongue pushing into her mouth as he laid himself over her. The pressure in Jen's lower abdomen was growing, and she moaned into his mouth.

"Jesus Christ, Jethro, enough foreplay already." Jen panted as his mouth trailed down to her breasts.

"I thought you _liked_ foreplay Jen." Gibbs said, a smirk on his face.

"Not after a week of celibacy." Jen retorted, kissing him again. Gibbs let out a short laugh before pushing into her in one solid thrust, reveling in her hoarse yell as she threw her head backwards. "God, yes."

"Jen…" Gibbs ground out as she began to move her hips underneath his. One of his hands trailed down in-between them, rubbing against her clit, grinning against her skin when she cried out sharply.

"Jethro…" Jen moaned, her lips following the path of his neck. Gibbs knew the end was close when Jen began to tighten around him, and he was surprised at how fast it was, although not completely. It had been a long week, after all.

"With me?" he double-checked, pulling back to meet her hazy green eyes.

"Yes." she managed to gasp out before he reduced her replies to incoherent moans and sighs. He followed her over the edge, kissing her off of her high. He slipped out of her and fell heavily on his right side, drawing her into him as they caught their breath.

"We need to do that more often." Gibbs sighed, drawing circles into Jen's lower back.

"Why did I know you were going to say that?" Jen said with a roll of her eyes as she pressed a kiss to his chest. "How's your shoulder?"

"It's fine, Jen. We can think of this as my physical therapy." Gibbs said, smirking. Jen snorted, shaking her head.

"Funny, Jethro. I am going to fall asleep."

"Good idea. If we're gonna do that again, I'm gonna need to recharge." Gibbs replied, running a hand through Jen's hair. She snuggled deeper into his embrace, resting her head under his chin.

"Shut up, Jethro."

* * *

He was back in his house, just home from leave. Shannon was in the kitchen, and he was watching Kelly color in the living room.

"Look Daddy, it's a horse!" she said happily, showing him the completed picture.

"I see that. Great job Kel." he said, ruffling her hair as he smiled at her.

"I want you to take it with you when you leave next time." Kelly said, her face suddenly serious. His heart twisted at her words and he swallowed down the knot in his throat.

"Course I will sweetheart."

"Dinner's ready!" Shannon's voice called from the kitchen, and Gibbs stood, picking Kelly up and carrying her in on his shoulder.

"Daddy, Daddy, put me down!" she giggled happily, squealing when he tickled her.

"Jethro, be careful in the kitchen!" Shannon said with a laugh, shaking her head at him and their daughter.

"Shannon, when am I not careful?" Gibbs drawled, swinging Kelly down onto the ground where she ran over to the table, climbing into the chair.

"Still Jethro." Shannon said, raising her eyebrow warningly.

"You worry too much sweetheart." Gibbs said, kissing her forehead quickly before grabbing three plates out of the cabinet.

"Jethro…"

The scene shifted.

He was back in Kuwait. His CO had pulled him aside.

"Gunny…they're dead. I'm sorry."

How could they be dead…how could his family, his girls be gone? It wasn't possible.

"Shannon!"

* * *

Jen was sleeping peacefully when she heard Gibbs' voice, which pulled her from her dreamless sleep.

"Shannon, Shannon…" she frowned, looking at Gibbs. He was tossing and turning, the sheets tangled around his legs.

He was obviously having a nightmare; she remembered them vividly from Europe. She ran a hand through his sweaty hair, trying to calm him down.

"Sh, Jethro you're okay, it's just a dream." she whispered in his ear, kissing his cheek as she cuddled close to him. He calmed at her touch, falling silently as he unconsciously hugged her closer, his arm wrapped around her middle.

She heard his breathing even out and knew he was asleep again. But there was no chance of her falling back to sleep.

Who the hell was Shannon? And why was Jethro calling out for her in his sleep, during a nightmare?

She tried to slip out of his arms, but his grasp on her was too strong. She pulled at him, but he wouldn't budge. She didn't want to wake him, but she couldn't stay in bed anymore. She needed to collect herself first.

She shook him gently, hearing his groan before his eyes opened.

"Wha…Jen, you okay?" he asked sleepily, his eyes bleary.

"You wouldn't let go of me." she said softly, avoiding his gaze.

"Oh." he replied, loosening his grip on her. She slipped out of his reach, standing and putting her robe on and walking into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

Gibbs was confused. What was wrong with Jen? Why was she so distant all of the sudden?

He shuddered, the remnants of his nightmare finally going away. He hated dreaming of Shannon and Kelly. Jen had always helped in Europe, and he assumed she'd done the same with this latest dream. He wanted to go and find out what was wrong with her, but he knew she needed time alone.

He rested his head against the headboard, sighing quietly. He'd never understand woman.

Jen leaned against the closed bathroom door, closing her eyes.

She could not believe how much this affected her. She had her own secrets, she knew, but…it still hurt.

Walking over to the sink, she splashed cold water on her face, sighing quietly. Glancing up, she ran a hand through her hair, brushing back her bangs.

She had to face him eventually, so she might as well get it over with.

She walked out of the bathroom, keeping the robe on. She sat on the edge of the bed, keeping her distance. Gibbs looked at her, confused.

"Jen, what's wrong?"

"Jethro…" Jen said, her voice a mixture of confusion and hurt. "Jethro, who is Shannon?"

* * *

HesMines- They lasted a week! ;)


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: It hasn't been a month! :) I am forewarning you now- I start the horror known as my junior year of high school next Wednesday, the eighth. So, please give me some time to adjust to school again. Updates may be a little less frequent while I settle in to a routine, and adjust to juggling homework, marching band, and writing. Many thanks! :)  
Also, a huge shout-out to all of my reviewers; Tempe4Booth, ncisgirl2389, NickyReid, MissJayne, Levana Fay, badprobiemcgee, purplemonkeyz48, HesMines, and Jen Crocker! You guys are amazing, and I always appreciate your comments! :) Oh! And ncisgirl2389 mentioned in her review that she thought Jen knew about Shannon and Kelly already, because I forgot to say that this takes place the beginning of season three- a few months into Jen's directorship. Thematically, I would say that it's sometime after 'Frame-up', but before 'Probie', because I do not want to get into Jen and Gibbs' fight in that episode. Not a very happy Jibbs episode, I think we can all agree, right?  
Now, without much further ado (wow that was a really long A/N, wasn't it?), here is the much awaited chapter nine!

* * *

Jen watched as Gibbs' face visibly paled, the blood completely draining from his cheeks. Emotions flashed through his eyes, finally settling on…guilty?

"Why do you ask?" he said, his voice hoarse.

"You called out for her in your sleep. I think I deserve an explanation." Jen answered, her voice tight with repressed emotion. Gibbs' eyes flashed with pain before shutting down.

"She's no one." he said, his voice hard, devoid of emotion.

"She's obviously someone Jethro! You would not have called out for just anyone in the middle of a nightmare!" Jen exclaimed, standing up from where she'd been sitting on the bed, throwing her hands up.

"I don't have to explain anything to you." Gibbs said, his face dark. Jen's heart stopped before speeding up as her face grew red, his words flooding through her.

"You don't have to explain anything to me?" Jen said, her tone dangerously soft as he flowed through her clenched teeth. "You don't have to explain anything, to _me_? What is this, then, Jethro? Am I just someone you thought you could share a bed with for a month? A 'quick fuck'? What the hell, Jethro? Do I really mean that little to you?"

"Jen…" Gibbs started, but Jenny interrupted him, sticking a hand out.

"Don't 'Jen' me, Gibbs. I don't want to hear it." Jen said, leaving the room. She stopped in the doorway, her back still turned to him. "Don't follow me. Not this time."

Gibbs watched her walk out the door and groaned, dropping his head into his hands. He'd managed to stick his foot into his mouth. Again.

Damn it. This was not how he'd intended for Jen to find out. If he was being honest, he'd never wanted her to find out. Shannon and Kelly were _his_, and he didn't feel the need to share his past with anyone.

But now Jen _had_ found out, and in his need to protect his past, he'd shut her out, and hurt her. Now she thought she meant nothing to him, but that was far from true.

God he was an idiot. And he didn't know how to fix this.

* * *

Jen left the bedroom, tears close to the surface.

She could not _believe_ him.

Was that really all he thought of her? Just someone he could have sex with? When had their relationship turned into just sex?

That thought stopped her short. Did they really have a relationship again? If she was being honest, she didn't know if she could really call this a relationship. In the two weeks they'd been at her house, they'd had sex. They'd barely talked about anything; they'd talked briefly about what would happen after the month in her house, and then mostly about what they'd done in the six years they'd been apart.

She shouldn't have let him break through her defenses earlier. She should not have let the fact that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her to overpower the fact that he was hurt. She should not have let him make love to her the way he had.

She was not someone that he could use to get his leg up. Her heart was not a toy that he could play with. There was a reason that she hadn't told him that there would be any off the job when she'd first been made Director. She didn't want their relationship to be purely sexual. She wanted him to love _her_, not just the sex.

And who the hell was Shannon? It was still a mystery to her. Was she a part of his past? _Another_ ex-wife?

She didn't think so. He'd never clammed up talking about any of his other ex-wives. So why was this woman different?

She walked out to her patio, sinking into one of the wicker chairs. Tucking her chin under her knees, she wrapped her arms around her legs, tugging them closer.

How could she spend another two weeks with him in her house? In her bed? Damn him, for making her life miserable, in her own house.

She didn't even notice he was there until he started to speak.

"Shannon was my first wife." Jen looked up sharply when she heard his deep voice. She'd asked him _not_ to follow her. He _never_ listened.

"I said…" she started, but he held up a hand, a sad expression on his face, and his blue eyes asked her silently to let him continue. She nodded minutely, and the corner of his mouth twitched up slightly.

"Shannon was my first wife. We met in my hometown, Stillwater, in Pennsylvania. I'd just been accepted by the Marines, I was taking a train outta there. She let me sit next to her on the train, sayin' something about how I wasn't a lumberjack." he said, a far-away expression on his face. "She inspired mosta my rules…she had her own. Told me everyone should have a list of rules to live by. She was beautiful- red hair, light blue eyes. We got married in 82, a week before I shipped out. In 84, our daughter, Kelly, was born. From the moment she was born I knew I was in trouble. Reddish auburn hair, blue eyes the exact same shade as Shannon's. She was the most precious thing I'd ever seen."

Jen listened to him talk, enraptured by the way he spoke about them. His face and voice were soft, gentle; something that was rare with Jethro. It was obvious they had been his world, and she almost let a smile slip. But he spoke in the past tense- that meant it hadn't lasted.

"I got called to serve in Desert Storm. Kelly had turned eight a few weeks before, and begged me to stay. I wanted to, so much it hurt. But I couldn't ignore the call to duty, not even for them." Gibbs continued, his voice growing rougher and hoarser. "I can still see the look on Kel's face when I pulled away. It was so sad, so tiny. It never left my mind the entire time I was away. I'd told her, before I left, that I wouldn't be gone completely. I'd always be there, watching over her, protecting her. Like a guardian angel. She made me promise. I did."

Jen watched his face, knowing the hard part was coming. It was evident in his face.

"Shannon witnessed a murder, a few months into my deployment. She identified the shooter, and NCIS assigned an officer to protect her and Kelly. They were…they were being driven to Kelly's riding lesson when…when Pedro Hernandez shot the officer, killing him instantly. Shannon and Kelly…Shannon and Kelly were killed in the crash." Gibbs said, his voice cracking on the last words, his tough, marine exterior fracturing, pain evident in his blue eyes. "I…I hadn't been able to protect them. I'd broken my promise to Kelly. I can still see her face, telling me I'd broken my promise. I hadn't kept them safe. Jen, I couldn't keep my baby girl safe."

Jen looked deeply into his eyes, her heart breaking at the pain and suffering in the blue depths. She stood, walking over to him, cupping his cheek gently in her palm. And anger and resentment she'd felt towards him about earlier had melted away in his explanation.

She knew what it was like to hide away the hurt from everyone, what it was like to want to keep your past a secret. He'd lost his world, his life. He'd lost his family, his loved ones. Why would he want everyone to know? Why would he want to share his suffering with anyone, why would he want to push his pain onto someone else unfairly?

"You couldn't have done anything differently Jethro. You were on another continent." she said softly, running her thumb along his cheek bone soothingly. Gibbs looked helplessly into her eyes, looking lost.

"But I shouldn't have been Jen. I should have been here with them! Then…then I wouldn't have had to live everyday without them. I wouldn't have had to come home to an empty house filled with Kelly's toys and Shannon's jewelry. I wouldn't have had to put all of their clothes in boxes, and put them into the attic, because they held too many memories. Jen, I didn't know how to live without them." Gibbs said, his voice broken and full of emotion, his eyes shining with years worth of unshed tears. Jen stroked his face, knowing no words could comfort him. Instead, she leaned forward, capturing his lips with a kiss that was soft and loving, showing him someone loved him just as much as his family had. He responded easily, a tear slipping out of his eyes and landing on her cheek.

She broke away, opening her eyes to look at him. She saw the raw need in his eyes, and knew there was no other way he'd be able to pull his mind away from the horror he was reliving. Taking his hand in hers, she led him upstairs, shutting the bedroom door behind her.

Undoing the tie of her robe, she shrugged out of it, letting the satiny fabric fall into a puddle at her feet. She pushed him back onto the bed gently, minding his still tender shoulder. She took off the boxers he'd pulled on before coming to find her, tossing them to the side.

Settling her hips above his, she took him into her, closing her eyes. Opening them up and locking into his, she preceded to make love to him. It wasn't fast or demanding; it was slow and tender and everything they generally weren't. Framing his face in her small hands, she pressed her forehead into his, their eyes locked into each other's, neither one of them saying a word. Their actions spoke for them.

Afterwards, she held him as he let tears slip down his cheeks. Caressing his hair and kissing his forehead, it was the first time she'd ever seen him show this much emotion. She wasn't referring to anger or hatred, like she'd seen in numerous interrogations. She was referring to what he considered weakness- pain, sadness, love. There had been moments in Europe she'd seen a hint of something. When she'd been shot in the former Chez Republic, she'd seen a haunted look in his eyes, but she'd pushed that away as the pain medication, making her see things. And when Ari had killed Kate, that day she'd come back. Walking into the bullpen before she was going to leave, he'd been staring into space, and when she'd called his name, the unbridled pain in his blue irises had shocked her.

Now she knew why. And she almost wished she didn't.

* * *

Gibbs awoke hours later, his head resting on Jen's chest. Carefully disentangling himself from her, he moved the covers more securely around her. She shifted slightly in her sleep, looking for his warmth. Frowning when she didn't find it, she tugged at the blanket, snuggling into it.

Gibbs watched her, a half-smile on his face. Her red hair contrasted sharply with the pale white of her pillows, and her porcelain face was relaxed in her sleep. She looked so fragile, so breakable in her sleep. It was the only time she looked like she could be hurt; the outside world saw the strong, independent woman she portrayed. Only he saw the soft, delicate side of her; the side where she _did_ have weaknesses.

He was glad he'd finally told her. The guilt he'd felt, the weight in his chest, had been lifted. He hoped that they could move forward now; he was sick of being stuck in the past. He wanted to have a relationship that wouldn't fail; and honesty was going to help him in that aspect. Jen was someone he knew he could trust, and he wanted her to know that.

All he had to do now was show her.

* * *

A/N: I seriously considered not having him tell her about Kelly, but thought it'd just be too much for him to not tell her. I hope this chapter lives up to expectations, and please leave me a review! :)


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for the break between chapters to be so long! And, ah, so, junior year of high school is a heck of a lot harder than I thought it would be. All of my free time is divided between marching band, homework, and watching my younger sister. I have almost no time to write, which is quite unfortunate. So, I am trying to finish up my stories so that I am not leaving anyone hanging. I'm thinking that after this chapter there will be two more chapters and then an epilogue, and then this story will be completed. And, the explanation about Jen's mom is my own reason, since we never learn about her in the show.  
Thank you to all of my reviewers; purplemonkeyz48, itzcheeseball, ncisgirl2389, MissJayne, , Tempe4Booth, Levana Fay, Nicky Reid, and jmarrero16. You guys are all so wonderful! :)

* * *

She couldn't stop now.

How could she? She'd spent the latter part of her adult life searching for him, and she'd finally come closer to destroying him. But things were complicated now, just like they had been in Paris, because Jethro was in the picture.

But she needed the Frog. She needed to catch him and she needed to destroy him. Just like he had her. She couldn't let the fact that she was in love get in the way of her revenge.

She was currently in her study, reading file after file, looking for the way in. She'd spent so long on this; she'd spent years looking for a way to bring him down. How could she tear herself away now, even if there was a man only one floor above her?

She set the folder down, wiping at her eyes. The small print in front of her was blurring together, and she sighed, running a hand through her hair. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she groaned. It was two am, and she'd been in her study for four hours now. Jethro was going to kill her when he realized she hadn't been in bed.

She stood, stretching her back. She put the files into a neat stack, tying them together with a rubber band and slipping them into the bottom drawer of her desk, locking them before slipping the key back into the small compartment on the underside of the desk. Taking the coffee mug from the wooden surface, she brought it into the kitchen, rinsing the ceramic cup out before drying it and placing it back in the cabinet. Turning, she grasped the edge of the counter, closing her eyes as a wave of dizziness overtook her. She gasped, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the counter, bending her knees as her head spun. Bile rose in her throat, and she moved to the sink, heaving up the non-existent contents of her stomach.

Standing upright, she winced, her throat burning. She filled a cup with water, swallowing the clear liquid to clear the taste from her mouth. She coughed, clearing her throat before taking two ibuprofen pills from the bottle on the windowsill above the sink, taking them with another sip of water.

_Just what I need_, she thought, shaking her head. She could not get sick now. Not when she was so close. Taking another gulp of water, she put the cup back in the sink, walking slowly up the stairs. Reaching the bedroom, she opened the door as quietly as possible, not wanting to wake Jethro up. She slipped into bed, completely exhausted, already fighting to keep her eyes open.

Her movement caused Jethro to stir, and he turned to her, cracking one blue eye open.

"Jen, what the hell? It's two am." he said, voice thick with sleep. She groaned, burying her face into the pillow.

"Drop it Jethro. I'm exhausted, and I want sleep." she said, her voice muffled by the material of the pillow. He snorted, letting her snuggle into his arms.

"Yeah, 'cause it's two am Jen." he said, and she brought one hand up, weakly smacking his good shoulder. "Go to sleep."

"Gladly." she muttered, finally letting sleep overtake her.

* * *

Gibbs got up the next morning, leaving Jen sleeping. He had no idea why she'd come in so late the night before; he'd left her in her study at ten last night, and she'd said she'd only be another hour, at most. She's stayed for another four hours, not one.

He wished she'd open up to him. God knows he'd opened up enough to her these past two weeks. Since he'd told her about Shannon and Kelly, they'd spent more time talking about their past, their time apart, and where this relationship was going.

But he still knew almost nothing about her family, and he was sick and tired of the secrets. For them to work this time, they couldn't lie to each other; they had to be open and honest.

And she wasn't, at least not entirely.

Walking into the kitchen, he started a pot of coffee, setting out two mugs. He was going to use coercion to get her past out of her, and he knew just what he had to do.

He spent the next hour making breakfast, using the skills he rarely even thought about. He hadn't really cooked for someone since Shannon and Kelly; his wives had handled the cooking, and with Jen, things had been so much simpler. Take-out had been their main sustenance, and she'd never complained. But considering he had time, cooking Jen breakfast seemed simple and easy.

He was just putting her omelet on a plate when she walked into the kitchen, bleary-eyed and groggy. He smiled, offering her one of the mugs of coffee. She accepted it with a smile before raising her eyebrow at the food in his hands.

"I made you breakfast." he said, stating the obvious.

"I can see that. I didn't know you knew how to cook." she said, cradling the warm mug in her palms. He let out a laugh, setting the plate on the table.

"I'm full of surprises." he answered, and she rolled her eyes. They both knew the reason behind his ability, but neither said anything. She took a bite of the omelet, closing her eyes as she sighed.

"You really do know how to cook." she said, and he let out another laugh.

"So I've been told." he said, a hint of sadness crossing his face. She squeezed his hand, and he sent her a small smile. "Want anything else?"

"God no. This is heaven on a plate." she answered, taking another bite. Gibbs nodded, taking a sip of coffee and a bite of toast.

"So what kept you downstairs for so long last night?" he asked conversationally, not expecting her reaction. She froze, her fork halfway to her mouth, her eyes going wide. He frowned, concern filling him. "Jen?"

"Just some files I had to review." she answered, shoving the fork into her mouth.

"Jen, you didn't take any files with you. You said work was at work." Gibbs said, raising an eyebrow. She bit her lip, averting her gaze. "Jen, what's going on?"

"What happened to the man that killed Shannon and Kelly?" she asked, and then it was his turn to freeze. What the hell was she asking for?

"Why do you ask?" he asked, his voice hoarse. She looked up, eyes guarded and her teeth sinking into her bottom lip.

"He escaped to Mexico, and they couldn't extradite. I followed him, made sure he paid for what he'd done." Gibbs said, his hands curling into fists on the hardwood table. Jen watched him, tilting her head slightly.

"Jethro…"

"It's in our cold case files, if you're really curious for details." Gibbs said, sounding harsher than he'd intended. Jen nodded, eyes on her coffee cup. Gibbs sighed, reaching over and squeezing her hand. "Jen, it's just a touchy subject."

"I know, I'm sorry for asking." she said quietly. "I just…"

"You just what, Jen?" Gibbs asked when she stopped talking. She looked up, taking a deep breath.

"I was just wondering if you had gone as far as I'm willing to go." Jen answered, and Gibbs frowned.

"Jen, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Jethro, my father was murdered in 95 by an arms dealer named Rene Benoit, otherwise known as La Grenouille." Jen said, her thumb running along the ridge of her coffee mug. "It was deemed a suicide, but that can't be true. My father would never have considered suicide. Not after my mother."

Gibbs listened to her speak, his heart breaking at the sadness in her eyes. He stroked his fingers across the back of her hand, letting her know he was there.

"My mother committed suicide when I was fifteen, after being diagnosed with lupus. The doctors said it was terminal, and all they could do was ease her symptoms. She uh, she overdosed on painkillers. She died the day after my fifteenth birthday." Jen said, clearing her throat. "And before you ask, I've been tested for the disease already. I have some of the risk factors, but so far I do not have the disease, and the doctor's are optimistic that I won't get it."

Gibbs nodded, squeezing her hand again, letting her continue. She took another deep breath, closing her eyes briefly.

"My mother's death tore my father and I apart. My father threw himself into his work, and I threw myself into my schoolwork. I reached the top of my class, and graduated early. I went to Princeton, studying to become a medical researcher. I barely spoke to my father during school, only coming home for major holidays. It's not that I didn't love him, it's just that when he looked at me all he could see was my mother's ghost, and I knew that." Jen said, a faraway look in her eyes. "Two weeks before my twenty seventh birthday, police found his body in his study, a glass of scotch on his desk with an open file and a gun in his lap."

"Jethro, my father would never have committed suicide. He knew what it had done to us the first time, why the hell would he put me through that? I knew he didn't kill himself. I started digging into what he'd been researching at work." Jen said, letting out a sigh. "He'd been looking into a certain arms dealer who was starting to work with Syria and Iraq, who at that point were merely blips on the radar. He'd been close to reaching the center of the organization, and La Grenouille had had him taken out. Jethro, I will find him."

"Jen, I'm not going to stop you, just…please Jen, you need to be careful. These things aren't always simple, and there are consequences." Gibbs said. "You need to be certain of what you're doing, before you do it."

"I'm glad that you care Jethro." Jen said, squeezing his knuckles. She opened her mouth to say something else when an odd look crossed her face, and she sprinted to the sink, retching up her breakfast. Gibbs was close behind, holding back her hair as she threw up. He rubbed her back, and helped her stand when she'd finished. She took a sip of water before turning to him, glaring.

"Jethro, I think you knocked me up."


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Thank you to everyone that has reviewed, alerted, or favorited this story! :) We're almost done- there's this chapter, then next chapter is some comic relief with the team coming over to Jenny's, the another chapter after that. Then, there's an epilogue, and then we're done! :) And, um…fluff alert. Just sayin'.

* * *

Gibbs' face paled, freezing as her words washed over him.

"Jen…how?"

"Jethro, do I really need to explain it to you?" Jen asked, incredulous. "We had unprotected sex. That led to conception."

"But…aren't you on the pill?" Gibbs ground out, his voice hoarse. Jen rolled her eyes, folding her arms.

"No, Jethro, I am not on the pill. Before you came to stay, I hadn't been with anyone in over four years." Jen said, sighing. "I'd pretty much given up hope."

"Takes time." Gibbs replied, brushing back a stray curl. "But Jen…why do you think you're…pregnant?"

"Because I was supposed to get my period two weeks ago, and I didn't. And I've recently been getting dizzy, and getting sick. I kind of put two and two together, Jethro." Jen answered, letting out another sigh. "I mean, I could be wrong. For all we know, this is the early form of lupus."

"Jen, don't think like that." Gibbs said, pulling her into his chest and rubbing her back. "Let's not get over our heads before we find anything out."

"Jethro…we have to be open-minded. I'm older, and the chances of me being pregnant are slim. And if I am, there are a lot of risks we might have to face. I just…I need to be able to know that you're going to be able to handle it, whatever it is." Jen said, tilting her head up to look at him. He brushed his thumb along her cheekbone, meeting her gaze and pressing his forehead against hers.

"Jen, I'll be there no matter what it is. Big or small, I won't leave you." he said, tenderly running his thumb along her lip. She smiled, reaching up to kiss him.

"You have no idea how much that means to me." she whispered, reaching a hand up to wipe at the tear running down her cheek. Gibbs looked at her with concern, and she let out a hesitant laugh. "Apparently pregnancy makes you emotional- or so I've heard."

"It gets worse before it gets better, Jen." Gibbs said, tucking her hair behind her ear. She sent him a glare, smacking his good shoulder. "What, I'm telling you the truth!"

"Shh! You don't tell me that yet. How about we confirm if I actually am pregnant before we do anything else, okay?" Jen said, rolling her eyes.

"Do you have an appointment? Or…" Gibbs started, but Jen clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Just stop there, Jethro. I can handle this part on my own." Jen said, taking a step back. "I am going to go shower, and then go to the pharmacy. You can join in one, both, or neither of these things, whichever you'd prefer."

"Jen, really? You really think I'd say no to either one of those?" Gibbs asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Jethro, I have no idea where you stand on this. I might be pregnant. You've lost a child before. For all I know, you're ready to turn tail and run at the first chance. I just…Jethro, I'm working blind." Jen admitted, shrugging her shoulders. Gibbs frowned, tilting his head.

"Jen, I'm not going to run. Yes, I'm sure there will be moments where the memories are going to be difficult, but having a child with you is something that makes me happy." Gibbs said, stroking her cheek. Jen looked up at him, tears forming in the corners of her emerald eyes. He brushed them away, cupping her cheek. "Shh. That wasn't supposed to make you cry."

"Jethro, everything is making me cry, intentional or not." Jen said with a quiet laugh, sending him a smile. "But thank you. I _am_ happy to be having a child with you. I don't want you to think that this doesn't make me happy, because I'm ecstatic about it."

"I want you to be happy Jen. That's all I want." Gibbs said, watching as Jen's nose colored, her gaze lowering to the ground as her teeth sank into her bottom lip. He nudged her chin back up with his finger, ducking his head to meet her eyes. "I mean it Jen."

"I know you do." Jen said, her voice soft. "It's just...Jethro three weeks ago that seemed impossible to believe."

"Jen, I've always wanted you to be happy. Even after you left, I just wanted you to be content with your life, even if I wasn't a part of it." Gibbs said, stroking his fingers down her arm. "Your happiness has always meant everything to me, no matter what I might do or say."

"You treasure me far more than you should." Jen said after a moments pause, and Gibbs could hear the repressed emotion in her throat. He shook his head, a half-smile on his face.

"You're worth more than you believe."

* * *

The convenience store was empty, much to Jen and Gibbs' relief.

After a brief shower, they'd driven to an out of the way 24-hour convenience store to by a pregnancy test. Jen didn't really doubt that she was pregnant, but she knew that both she and Gibbs needed the reassurance only a test or a doctor could give. The doctor was out of the question, at least until they'd confirmed it. Any leak of even just a rumor of this could ruin both her career and her reputations, and Gibbs' as well.

Sighing, she tugged him toward the correct aisle. She gripped his hand as she nervously scanned the shelves, and startled when Gibbs tapped her shoulder, pointing towards the tests. She hesitantly picked one up, turning it over to read it. She shot a look at Gibbs, who looked slightly uncomfortable.

"I'm…I'm just going to buy one." she said, her voice barely above a whisper. He nodded, squeezing her fingers.

"It's gonna be okay Jen. I promise." he said gently, and she nodded, chewing on her lower lip.

"If you say so." she said, selecting two tests and heading towards the register. Gibbs followed close behind, sliding an arm around her waist while she waited for the older woman to ring her up. The gray-haired cashier studied the two of them for a moment before scanning the tests. Jen tapped her foot impatiently, and Gibbs chuckled silently. He kissed her cheek, running his fingers stealthily up her side, causing her to inhale sharply.

"Calm down." he whispered in her ear, catching the smile the cashier sent them. "Everything is going to be fine. Just take a deep breath babe."

Jen leaned into Gibbs, tucking her head under his chin and her arms around his waist. His warmth surrounded her, and she sighed, content. Gibbs slid the money across the counter, taking the plastic bag and handing it to Jen. He accepted the change before nodding to the cashier and heading towards the door, wrapping his arms around Jen's shoulder and cradling her closer.

"Babe?" Jen asked after they had exited the store. "That's a new one."

"It was purely for the sake of the cashier. I think she assumed we were married. I decided to play it up." Gibbs merely replied, but Jen could hear the smirk in his tone.

"Bastard." she muttered, turning her nose towards his neck, breathing in his scent.

"D'you wanna get married?" he asked suddenly, and she stopped, shocked.

"What?" she asked, thinking she hadn't heard clearly.

"I said, do you wanna get married. I mean, if you are pregnant I don't want…ya know…people to think…things." he said, finishing lamely. Jen remained frozen, shock still pulsating through her. Gibbs interpreted her silence wrong, and turned away, averting his gaze. "I mean, Jen, we don't have to. Not if you don't want to."

"No, Jethro, that's not it, not at all. I mean, maybe someday…but not right now. I do want our relationship to be public, and I do want people to know…but I think that marriage is just too big a step, at least right now. Yes, someday in the future, I would love to get married. But not right now. Let's…let's get used to being in a relationship again, and let's figure out this baby situation. Then we can talk about marriage." Jen said, looking up into his blue eyes. She truly wanted him to understand; this did mean a lot to her. To know that he did want to get married…well that showed that he truly was in this for the long haul. "And that was kind of a lame proposal."

"Yeah, well, unplanned ones generally are." he shot back, and she smiled, linking their fingers.

"Jethro, I know that the fact that I am unmarried and pregnant is going to cause some rumors and gossip, but I do want you there. I want people to know you're there. This is the twenty-first century. It's not as though I am the only woman this happens to." Jen said, resting against his arm as they headed back to the car to return home. "And…if you wanted, you could move some of your stuff to my place, if you wanted."

"Our place." Gibbs said, squeezing her fingers as they walked, making her smile.

"Our place." Jen repeated, her face lighting up. Their place.

* * *

"Jen, how damn long does it take?" Gibbs hollered, standing outside the bathroom door. Jen had locked herself in the master bathroom ten minutes ago, and hadn't said a word so far. Gibbs didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing, and he was desperate to find out.

The idea that he could be a father again…well, the idea was still pretty new to him, he had to admit. It had been so long since Kelly- and yet there were days when it felt like yesterday. He wouldn't mind another child- a child with Jen would be nothing short of a miracle. He just needed some time to get used to the idea.

A child this late in his life wasn't something he'd been expecting. He was sure that after time he'd be just as prepared as he had been with Kelly. It was just the…getting used to the idea that was hard for him.

And his marriage proposal. His stupid, without a thought, two second proposal. He was just glad Jen hadn't laughed in his face. And her explanation had made sense, and her promise that they'd talk in the future was reassuring.

He wondered what Jen was thinking about this whole pregnancy thing. They'd never really talked children. They'd talked about pregnancy prevention while they'd been in Paris obviously, but never actually having a child. If she'd open the damn door…

"Jen, c'mon!"

Suddenly, the door opened, and Jen stepped out, white test stick in hand. He watched her carefully, tilting his head as she stepped closer.

"Jen…"

"Congratulations Dad."


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Thanks so much to everyone that reviewed! I somehow managed to switch off all of my alerts (I'm an idiot), so, um, I didn't get a chance to reply to half the people that reviewed. Thank you to everyone that did; I'm sorry I missed you!  
Anyway, I know that some people are disappointed that this story is starting to draw to a close, but it is, sadly. There's this chapter, another one after this, and then an epilogue. I hope you enjoy this chapter; the team is there for some comic relief! :)  
(And, I know it's been like, two months. But I did update 'A Past Reminder'. Just because I feel terrible that it's taken so long!)

* * *

She was going to be a mother.

She, Jennifer Sheppard, now had the chance to be a mother.

It was surreal. Seeing that plus sign on that pregnancy stick was like seeing it in a dream. That little blue plus sign had forever changed her life.

She could hear Jethro banging on the door, but she couldn't bring herself to open it. Not yet.

She needed…she needed time. Time to adjust to this, this shift.

Yes, she'd known that she was pregnant before she'd seen the plus sign but, well, this cemented it. This was final. This was the truth.

She was happy. She was so, incredibly happy.

She'd thought she'd never get this chance. She'd always had the urge to be a mother, what woman didn't at some point? And to be having Jethro's…that was a miracle within itself.

"Jen, c'mon!" she heard Jethro yell, and she sighed, pushing herself off of the cold tile floor. She grasped the metal door handle, turning it and pushing the door open. As she entered the room, she could feel Jethro's gaze on her. She held the stick in her hand, and he spoke again, his voice gentle.

"Jen…"

"Congratulations Dad." she said quietly, interrupting him as she held the stick up a little so that he could see the blue plus sign. His eyes widened, shifting between the stick and her face. She bit her lip, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

"Jen…Jen, this is amazing." Gibbs said, reaching her side and touching her cheek, brushing back the hair falling into her face. She smiled, turning into his hand.

"I know. Jethro, we're going to have a baby." Jen whispered, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes. He smiled, brushing away a tear from her eyes with his thumb.

"Our own little miracle."

* * *

Later that evening, they lay on the couch, half watching the show they had on. They'd chosen some news show, but neither had really paid much attention to it. They were both too busy with their own thoughts.

Gibbs was wrapped with thoughts of Kelly, and her birth, and her innocence. He thought about her smile, her laugh, the light in her eyes when she asked him to read her a story. The memories didn't hold the bitter edge they normally did; it was more of a bittersweet feeling. Because he knew that, soon enough, he'd have the chance to grasp the happiness he'd felt with her again, with this new child.

Jenny was filled with thoughts of a baby; a baby with Jethro's big blue eyes and her red hair. _Their baby_. She knew that it would be months before she'd meet their child, but she couldn't stop thinking about it. What they'd look like. How they'd act. Her eyes trailed to her still flat stomach, and she melted on the inside. She was carrying a child, and not any child, but Jethro's child.

"Jen." Gibbs said, shifting slightly so that he could see Jen's face more clearly. She tilted her head back, her hair cascading down her back as she turned her gaze to him.

"Yes Jethro?" she asked, blinking her eyes tiredly as they focused on his face.

"I was thinkin' about what you wanted to say to the team." he asked, and she turned slightly, curling her body more towards his. She took a deep breath, tucking a loose curl behind her ear.

"Well, we did tell Abby we'd have everyone over. How about we tell them then?" Jen asked, and Gibbs' eyes widened slightly, showing his surprise. "What, is that a bad idea?"

"No, no not at all. I'm just…surprised you want to tell them so soon."

"Would you rather wait?" she asked, frowning slightly.

"No, Jen, I want to tell them, I do. I just wanna make sure you're comfortable with, ya know…them knowin'. Everything." Gibbs said, and then Jen understood.

"Jethro, I already told you that I want people to know that we're in a relationship. I'm not ashamed. So, I'm not married and I'm pregnant. I could care less. Because Jethro? I'm pregnant with your child. That's a miracle that I thought would never come true." Jen said, sitting up and steadily meeting his gaze, seeing the emotion there. "This makes me so incredibly happy. So, so incredibly happy. _You_ make me so incredibly happy, Jethro."

"You make me happy too, Jen." Gibbs said, and Jen cupped his cheek in her palm, a smile stretching across her face. He leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to the corner of her mouth. "And Jen, I know you aren't ashamed. I just…I don't think I'm good enough for you."

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs, bite your tongue." Jen said, furrowing her eyebrows. "Do not question if you are good enough for me, because it never needs to be questioned. You're all I could ever ask for in a man, and please don't doubt that. I love you, and nothing can change that."

The silence that followed was charged; Gibbs couldn't believe his ears, and Jenny couldn't believe what she'd let slip out.

Sure, they'd said it before. It wasn't like they hadn't said that they'd loved each other before; it just hadn't been in so many words. They preferred to show their feelings through actions instead of words.

But she'd said them, clear as day.

She loved him.

Jen was nervous. She hadn't meant for those words to come out just yet. But, then again, it wasn't necessarily bad. She did truly love him, and they were pregnant, making a family…so maybe having the words out there wasn't such a terrible thing. She studied her lover's face, touching his cheek gently with her fingertips.

"Jethro…"

"I love you too Jen." he said, interrupting her, and Jen didn't stop the smile that slid across her face. He leaned down, kissing her with just a tad more force, and she responded easily, opening her mouth to him. They kissed easily for a few moments, just enjoying each other, and the fact that they could do that.

They enjoyed the fact that, for the moment, things were simple.

* * *

When Tony pulled up to the address that Gibbs had given him over the phone, he couldn't stop the grin that crossed his face. He'd won the bet, that he knew.

He stepped out of his car, shutting the door and slipping the keys into his pocket. He straightened his dark blue button down over his white t-shirt, fixing the shirt over his jeans. He was a tad nervous; this was the Director's house. Was he supposed to act like he did at work, seeing her as the boss? Or was he allowed to relax, just see her as…a friend? He'd only known her as his Director for a few months. He liked her, that he knew, and not only that, but she was incredibly attractive, everyone could see it. If she wasn't his boss…

Tony shook his head, dispersing the thoughts. Not what he needed right now. He took a deep breath, calming his nerves. He knocked on the large wooden door, case of beer in hand. He waited a few moments, then the door was opened by Jen, who smiled when she saw him, opening the door further.

"Hey Tony, come on in. Jethro is in the kitchen, if you want to take the beer into him." Jen said, allowing him to walk inside.

"Alright Director. Thanks for the invite." Tony said, casting his gaze around the room, nodding in approval.

"Please Tony, call me Jenny. I haven't been Director in three weeks. And I'm glad you could come." Jen said, shutting the door behind him. She'd dressed casually, in slim khaki pants and a simple black sweater, her long crimson curls in a ponytail that cascaded over her right shoulder. She had simple drop peridot earrings in and a silver necklace she and Jethro had bought when they were in Europe. It was a simple silver heart with their names engraved on the back, and the date. October 19, 1999. Jethro had told her she looked beautiful, but she was doubtful. He'd been making comments about her all day, and she was almost positive he was just trying to placate her.

"Alright Jenny." Tony said, his discomfort dissolving fractionally. "I'll go put these in the kitchen."

"Right through the living room Tony." Jen said, and he nodded, turning to go. There was another knock, and Jen opened the door again, revealing a nervous looking Tim and a calm, collected Ziva with him. "Hello Tim, Ziva. I'm so glad you two could come."

"It's nice to see you Director." Tim said sincerely, and Jen smiled. The young man was such a gentleman.

"Please Tim, call me Jenny." she said, taking his coat to hang on the rack. "There are drinks in the kitchen, and Jethro's in there as well."

"Thank you, Jenny." Tim said, sending her a smile. Ziva stepped forward, giving her a hug.

"Shalom Jenny. How have you been?" she asked, stepping back as if to assess her. Jen laughed quietly, looking forward to seeing the look on the Israeli's face when she discovered Jen was pregnant.

"I have been very well, Ziva. You were right. It just took a little time." Jen said, and Ziva's face broke out into a grin.

"Jenny, I am so happy for you." Ziva said, hugging her again and kissing both of her cheeks. Jenny laughed again, returning her friend's embrace.

"Thank you, Ziva. Now, is something going on between you and Tim?" Jen asked, watching as the younger woman's face flushed slightly, her chocolate brown eyes widening fractionally. "Z?"

"He is just a very good friend at the moment, Jenny." Ziva said, but Jen could hear the tone of delight in her voice.

"Well, Ziva, he's a very good choice." Jen said, bestowing a wink on the Israeli. "Drinks are in the kitchen with Jethro, and Tony is already here."

"Thank Jenny. Will you be coming as well?"

"As soon as Abby and Ducky arrive." Jen answered, and Ziva nodded, slipping off in the direction of the kitchen. Jen sighed, content with the knowledge that her friend was adjusting to life here in the States, and had found someone who she liked spending time with. Her thought process was interrupted by another knock, and she stepped forward to reveal Ducky, looking quite handsome with his polka dotted bowtie and his black fedora-style hat.

"Jennifer, you look lovely my dear." Ducky said, that knowing twinkle in his eyes. She blushed under the gaze, enveloping the older man in an embrace.

"Thank you Ducky." she whispered in his ear, emotion suddenly coming to the surface. "Thank you for keeping him safe for all those years. Thank you."

"My dear, you know it was my duty to keep him safe- most importantly from himself. I knew that somehow, you'd be back." he whispered back, kissing her gently on the cheek. She stepped back after a few moments, wiping at a stray tear.

"I'll be making this announcement to everyone but…I'd like you to know first. Ducky…I'm pregnant." she said, keeping her voice quiet, but letting her excitement leak into her voice. "About three weeks."

"Oh my dear, congratulations!" Ducky said, taking her hands and squeezing. "Although I should reprimand you for straining his injury. Jennifer, you two are going to be so blessed."

"I know, it wasn't exactly planned but…Ducky, this is a miracle. I never thought this would happen, not to us. And now…and now, we have everything." Jen said, taking a deep breath. "We're going to tell the team tonight. I just…I wanted to tell you separately."

"Well I'm honored my dear. I am so happy for the two of you. You deserve this." Ducky said, squeezing her hands again. "Where is Jethro?"

"He's in the kitchen with Tony, Tim, and Ziva. We're waiting on Abby, and then I'll be there as well." Jen said, taking Ducky's coat.

"Well, I'll see that they aren't all killing each other in your kitchen, my dear."

"Our kitchen, Ducky." Jen said, letting another smile creep onto her face. "He's moving in."

"My dear, you are one lucky woman." Ducky said, grinning at her. "He's going to make an excellent father. I'm surprised he has not been before."

Jen froze, panic filling her. It hadn't even crossed her mind that the team and Ducky might not know about Shannon and Kelly. But that comment solidified it. Only she knew…how was she going to keep this to herself when it was so vitally important?

"Jennifer?" she was pulled into the present by Ducky's concerned voice, and she shook her head slightly, refocusing. "Are you alright my dear?"

"Yes, of course. Just something I remembered." Jen said, offering him a sad excuse for a smile. Ducky looked as though he was going to protest when there was another knock. _Saved by the knock_, Jen thought. "Go on ahead Ducky. I'll get Abby, then we'll meet you in the kitchen."

Ducky nodded before turning and walking towards the kitchen, and Jen turned to the door, opening it to reveal a very excited Abby bouncing on the front step.

"Hi Director! How are you? I've missed you, and Gibbs too! Where is he? Is he in the living room?" Jen smiled as Abby babbled on, guiding her into the house and shutting the door behind the young Goth. She was wrapped in an Abby hug, and she relaxed, letting the younger woman hug her.

"I've missed you as well Abby." Jen said, taking a deep breath after she was released, taking Abby's coat. "Jethro is in the kitchen with everyone else."

"Yay! I've missed you guys so much. Work isn't the same without Mommy and Daddy!" Abby said, taking Jen's arm and practically dragging her into the kitchen.

"Abby, why do you call us Mommy and Daddy?" Jen asked, following Abby into the kitchen.

"Well, you two are like the parents, and we're kinda like the kids. You two kind of, I don't know…fit together. You're good parents." Abby said, and Jen felt her heart flutter slightly. She exchanged a glance with Gibbs, who very clearly said with his eyes 'I told you so'. She rolled her eyes, sighing.

"Well, I sure hope we're good parents." Jen said, looking around at everyone. "I guess now is as good a time as ever to let you know. In a few months, Jethro and I are going to be parents. To a baby, that is."

There was a moment of shocked silence before Abby gleefully exclaimed, "I knew it!"

She hugged Jen tightly, squealing. Then, she turned to Gibbs, attacking him in a bear hug. "Congratulations you two!"

"Yes, Jenny, congratulations." Ziva said, stepping forward and kissing her on both cheeks before enveloping her in a hug. "I am so happy for you."

"Thank you Ziva." Jen said, smiling. Tim came up and kissed her on the cheek, his face red as he said his congratulations. Tony looked slightly stunned, but came over and gave her a hug, letting out a laugh.

"Congrats Jenny and bossman."

"Thank you, everyone. We just wanted to let you know before the media finds out." Jen said, and Gibbs nodded.

"Family should always know first."

* * *

Later that night, after the team had left and they'd cleaned up, they were getting ready for bed. Jen was exhausted, and ready to sleep. It had been fun with the team, but it had also been a long day. She was curled in bed, waiting for Gibbs to come to bed.

He stepped out of the bathroom, flicking off the light and climbing into bed, pulling Jen into his embrace and drawing the covers up over their bodies. She curled against him, already half asleep. He rubbed her back gently, listening to her breathing slow and even out, and knew she was asleep.

"You're going to be a great mom Jen. Never doubt that. I love you."

He knew she was asleep. But he wanted to say it, because he meant it.

He couldn't wait to see it come true.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Thank you to everyone that reviewed! An epilogue will follow this chapter, then this story will be done. I'll miss it, but I think the ending is a good one. I hope everyone had an excellent Thanksgiving! And who else watched the new episode? Not only a clip on Jenny, but also mentions of her and Paris. I almost died :)

* * *

The next four months seemed to fly by for both Gibbs and Jen.

A week after they'd announced Jen's pregnancy to the team, they returned to work, which was a mixed reaction for them. They both loved their jobs, but with their jobs came a price. In their first week back, Gibbs was home before nine thirty at night one time, and Jen had so much paperwork to do she brought at least two hours of work home. Apparently the agent that had been at her desk was not fond of paperwork.

After a few weeks they readjusted, coming home at relatively reasonable hours and being able to spend some time together.

Jen's morning sickness went away after her first trimester, which was a godsend to her. Getting used to the awkwardness of people staring at her expanding belly had been difficult. It felt like she had to work ten times harder to get people to take her seriously, and it frustrated the hell out of her. SecNav had been more than gracious; he said that maternity leave would be welcome to her four weeks before her due date and then for eight weeks after the birth.

Now, she was just a week shy of being five months pregnant, and was halfway through her pregnancy. Both she and Gibbs had the weekend off, and they were working on the nursery.

"Jethro, I swear, if you didn't get a neutral color, I'm going to castrate you." Jen threatened, and Gibbs rolled his eyes, using a screwdriver to open the paint can on the ground.

"Jen, would you calm down?" Gibbs said, opening to can to reveal the pure white paint. Jen relaxed, her arms uncrossing from over her bump and resting on her hips.

"Jethro, white? I thought we were doing a color."

"Jen, I picked white so that we could do wallpaper. Look in the bag." Gibbs said, and Jen turned, reaching into the plastic bag and pulling out the roll of wallpaper. She smiled, her fingertips stroking across the Noah's Ark design.

"Jethro, it's beautiful." Jen said, walking over to him and pulling him up to her level so that she could kiss him. He smiled, kissing her back for a moment before resting his hand on her bump, running his hand over it softly. Jen rested her head on his shoulder, putting her hand over his, moving it over to where the baby was kicking. "Can you feel?"

"That's him?" Gibbs asked, pressing his hand a little more into her bump. Jen nodded, eyes lit up. Gibbs' face broke out into a grin, leaning forward to kiss her again. She wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss as her fingers weaved into his hair. She broke away after a few moments, pressing her forehead into Gibbs' as they caught their breath.

She was just about to kiss him again when the phone rang, and she groaned, taking a step back and starting towards the door, throwing her words over her shoulder.

"Start painting, I'll be back in a minute."

She walked to the end of the hall, mentally preparing herself for the trek down the stairs. It took her longer than she thought, and when she got to the bottom, the answering machine had already picked up. She waited for the recording to finish, and then an unfamiliar voice started to talk.

"Hey, uh Leroy, it's Jackson. I hope this is the right number. I called your house and got forwarded to this number. I don't know who Jennifer Sheppard is, but I hope you know my son. I know we haven't talked in a while Leroy, but…son, I want to have a relationship with you again. I know that you were hurting the last time we spoke, but son, it's been eleven years. I want to see you again. Please son…call me at the store. Same number. I just want a second chance."

The phone clicked, the message ending. Jen stood, feeling incredibly confused. Who was Jackson, and what was his connection to Jethro?

She walked back upstairs slowly, taking her time. This was a lot to think through. Was Jackson Jethro's father? If so, then Jackson had the right to know that he was going to have another grandchild. She sighed, reaching the nursery.

She walked into the room, watching as Jethro painted the walls in quick strokes. He turned, feeling her eyes on him, smiling when he saw her. His smile quickly turned to a frown when he met her eyes, and he stepped forward, setting the paint roller down.

"Jen, what's wrong? Who was on the phone?"

"Jethro, I think it was your father." Jen said, watching as Gibbs' eyes widened.

"What do you mean, my father?" Gibbs asked, crossing his arms over his chest, shifting his weight slightly.

"Jethro, someone named Jackson called, asking for you. He said he wants a second chance. That it's been eleven years and he wants a relationship again." Jen said, walking towards him, placing a hand on his arm. Gibbs closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before opening them again.

"Yeah, it's my dad." Gibbs said, nodding slightly. "Haven't seen him since Shannon and Kelly's funeral. Been a long time since I've talked to him."

"Jethro, he's your father. I think you should give him a second chance." Jen said, squeezing his bicep gently. "Jethro, he deserves to know he's going to be getting a grandson in a few months."

"Jen…I just…it's been so long." Gibbs said, his voice slightly pained.

"Jethro, I'd give anything to see my father again. And our son deserves to know his only remaining grandparent." Jen said, touching her free hand to his cheek. Gibbs sighed, relaxing fractionally.

"I guess my dad does deserve to meet his future daughter-in-law." he said, and Jen smiled, glancing at the sparkling ring on her finger.

"And I'd like to meet my father-in-law." she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and looking into his eyes, tilting her head slightly. "Why haven't you spoken to him for so many years?"

"He uh…brought a date, to the funeral. I was, damn Jen I was pissed. I'd just lost the two most precious things in the world and he brings a date to their funeral? I lost it. Chewed him out for things that weren't even his fault. I'm pretty sure I brought up my mom's death, and some other things that were out of his control. I just…I was hurting, and I took it out on the person that cared the most." Gibbs said. Jen frowned, nodding as she listened, her fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

"Well, his timing did suck." Jen said, and Gibbs chuckled, his hold on her waist tightening slightly. "I didn't have anyone to yell at. I didn't have a very large family. Just me, Mom, and Dad. No siblings, no aunts or uncles, no cousins. Holidays were boring, I can tell you that much. I faintly remember my Great-Aunt Thelma, but she died when I was in first grade. After my mom died…well, holidays weren't a big deal in my house anymore."

"Holidays were a big deal in Stillwater. Being such a small town, everyone knew everyone. My dad loved it." Gibbs said, shaking his head slightly at the memory. Jen smiled, touching his cheek with her fingertips.

"Call him, Jethro. It's a long weekend next week. Maybe we could drive up and see him." she said, and Gibbs sighed, relenting.

"Alright. I'll call him later. But right now, we have painting to do."

* * *

A week later, they were driving to Stillwater, Pennsylvania. They'd arranged to stay with Jackson for the weekend, and he'd been more than thrilled to have them. Gibbs had told him he was bringing someone with him, but hadn't elaborated. Gibbs wanted to tell him in person, and Jen completely agreed.

They were about twenty minutes away, and Jen could tell that her lover was more relaxed. He was more at home, in a way. She smiled, feeling his hand slide over hers and squeeze gently. She met his gaze, blushing slightly as she met his gaze. He let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head.

"Jethro, what if he doesn't like me?" Jen asked, her voice quiet as she bit her lip. She'd been nervous the entire car ride; this was her lover's father. He was going to be her father-in-law. What if he didn't like her?

"Jen, of course he's gonna like you." Gibbs said, shooting her a disbelieving look. "Who wouldn't like you?"

"My fifth grade teacher hated me." she said, turning slightly to face him, her free hand on her bump. "She thought I was absolutely horrible."

"Jen, that was a long time ago." Gibbs said, and Jen frowned, her green eyes flashing.

"Are you calling me old?" she asked, her eyes narrowing as her frowned deepened.

"Jen, what are you talking about?" Gibbs asked, looking bewildered. Where the hell had their conversation gone? Jen's face suddenly relaxed, an embarrassed flush filling her pale skin.

"I'm sorry Jethro…I really don't know where that came from. My hormones are being incredibly unhelpful." she said, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip. Gibbs smiled, squeezing her hand.

"It's okay Jen. Shannon reamed me out 'cause I told her she was pretty."

"I promise I'll try not to yell anymore. I just…it's hard!" Jen said, doing a spectacular impression of a ten year old complaining about math homework. Gibbs couldn't help the laughter then, and Jen frowned, trying to hold in the laughter, failing as she smack his shoulder. "It isn't funny Jethro!"

"Then why are you laughing?" he retorted, watching as Jen tried to keep a lid on her laughter.

"I still don't think it's funny." Jen said, folding her arms and shaking her head at him. Gibbs grinned, reaching over and taking her hand, linking their fingers.

"Don't you feel better now that you've laughed?" he asked, squeezing gently. Jen smiled, sighing quietly.

"Yes, I do. Thank you."

"My pleasure Jen."

Ten minutes later, they were driving through Stillwater, and Jen's grip on Gibbs' hand tightened. He brought her hand up to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of her hand. She smiled, showing him she appreciated it.

They pulled up in front of a store, and Gibbs turned to her, taking a deep breath.

"Remember, he doesn't know anything Jen. I just don't want you to be shocked if he reacts…badly."

"Jethro, I think I can handle it. I'm pretty much used to bad reactions at this point." Jen said, touching his cheek gently. "Thank you for being concerned though."

"Alright. You ready for this?" Gibbs asked, gripping the door handle.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Jen replied, opening her door and getting out, looking around. Gibbs had been right; Stillwater was a small town. Already, people were looking at her, attempting to figure out who she was. Gibbs reached her side of the car and took her hand, leading her into the store.

"Dad?" Gibbs called, leading Jen into the store and shutting the door behind her. Everything was quiet for a moment before there was the sound of another door opening and closing, and then a shorter man with white hair and electric blue eyes. He smiled when he saw Gibbs, his face softening.

"Well hello Leroy. It's been a long time son." Jackson Gibbs said, eyes widening slightly when he noticed Jen standing behind his son. "Who's this?"

"Dad, this is Jen…my fiancée." Gibbs said, taking a few steps towards his dad, bringing Jen with him. "Jen, this is my dad, Jackson Gibbs."

"Hi, Mr. Gibbs." Jen said, stepping forward to shake his hand. Jackson's eyes held a shine in them, and he took her hand, pressing a quick kiss to the back of her hand.

"Please, call me Jack." he said, letting go of her hand and looking at Gibbs. "Well son, it really has been a long time."

"Been a long eleven years Dad." Gibbs said with a shrug, and Jen squeezed his hand. He sent her a smile before turning back to his dad, taking a deep breath. "I've had a lot of time to think. And Dad…what you did didn't deserve over a decade of silence. I was hurt, and losing Shannon and Kelly, well, Dad, it tore me apart. But, for the sake of Jen, I think it's time to move forward."

"It's not just for me, that I want you two to have a relationship again." Jen said, glancing at Gibbs quickly before meeting Jackson's gaze. "I want our son to know his grandfather. I don't have anyone on my side that's alive, and I want you to be a part of your grandson's life."

"Leroy…as happy as I am, a little warning would have been nice." Jackson said, leaning against the counter slightly. "How long have you two been together?"

"Well…it's a little complicated." Jen said, a blush coloring her cheeks. Jackson raised an eyebrow, and Gibbs let out a nervous laugh.

"Care to elaborate?" Jackson asked, looking in between them.

"Well Dad, let's just say that this time, we've been together about five months." Gibbs answered, running his thumb along the back of Jen's hand.

"This time?"

"We were together years ago, as well." Jen said, regret tingeing her voice slightly. Gibbs kissed her temple, squeezing her hand.

"That's in the past, and we're focusing on now. We do want you in our son's life Dad. We want you to know him, and him to know you." he said, meeting his dad's gaze.

"Well, I'd love to know him. Leroy, I loved Kelly with all my heart, and I was devastated when she was killed, along with Shannon. I know I'll love this grandchild just as much." Jackson said, his eyes bright and eager. "Leroy, I'm glad you're here."

"I'm glad I'm here too Dad." Gibbs said, glancing down at Jen and smiling. "I'm very glad."

* * *

The weekend flew by; Jen found that Jackson was quite funny and entertaining, telling stories of when Gibbs had been a boy that made Gibbs turn red in embarrassment. She was glad they'd come; Gibbs had needed to reconnect with his father, and she was glad she had gotten the chance to meet her future father-in-law.

Gibbs was glad they'd taken the weekend to come; time had healed his rift with his dad, and he was glad he had him back in his life. He knew that the fact that his dad had met Jen and knew about the baby would make things easier; he didn't want to hide a grandchild from his dad. No one deserved that kind of treatment.

He glanced at Jen, who was sound asleep, her head resting against the window. She looked so peaceful; her hands rested on her becoming-prominent baby bump, and her face held a contented smile. He knew she'd enjoyed the weekend; at least there wouldn't be any problems with the in-laws.

He pulled into the driveway, turning off the car and simply watching Jen for a few more moments, not wanting to disturb her. She started to stir when the car began to cool down, and she blinked her eyes open, sleep glistening in her pretty green eyes.

"We're home babe." Gibbs said, and she nodded, face breaking out in a yawn.

"I don't even remember falling asleep." she said, unbuckling her seatbelt and opening her door. Gibbs met her in the front of the car, letting her lean on him sleepily as they walked into the house. He led her upstairs, where they both got ready for bed. She snuggled up to his chest, sighing quietly. "I had fun this weekend. I'm glad we went."

"Me too Jen. Me too." Gibbs said, rubbing her back gently.

All they had to wait for now was the arrival of their baby.


	14. Epilogue

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! :) To everyone that has supported this story from the beginning- or that discovered it along the way- thank you so much for everything- especially sticking with me through that brief hiatus between chapters 3 and 4. I'm so glad you all have liked this story; it's been a thrill to write, and I'm going to miss it. I hope you like the conclusion! :) And I stole Addison from Grey's Anatomy. I like her, so I used her as Jenny's doctor. Sue me :)

* * *

The board meeting was the absolute last place Jen wanted to be.

She was thirty seven weeks pregnant, irritated as hell, and not in the mood to deal with a bunch of Senators that couldn't look her in the eyes. As she sat at the head of her conference table, a collection of men from the Hill seated in front of her, she was just barely keeping a lid on her temper.

She could see that all of the men were uncomfortable; she didn't blame them. She was uncomfortable as hell. But she also was extremely pregnant. Which was her husband's fault.

"Will there be anything else Director?" one of the men asked; he was a younger senator that hadn't been on the Hill very long, and obviously was not used to hormonal woman with authority. Jen stood-awkwardly-and nodded to the men, who all stood with her.

"Thank you, gentlemen. This will be the last time you see me for a few months. Assistant Director Vance will be in the Director's chair for about two months." Jen said, shaking their hands as they exited as quickly as was still respectable. One senator who had known her for a while stayed, a grin on his face.

"Well Jenny, you know how to empty a room." Bob Summers said, watching as Jen sat back behind her desk, relaxing into her chair.

"Was it that obvious?" Jen asked, a small laugh escaping as she shook her head. "Well, this will only last for another two weeks. My husband will be glad."

"And I think many of the men on the Hill will be glad as well." Bob laughed, nodding at her from the doorway. "Goodbye Jenny."

"Goodbye Bob." Jen said, nodding to him, dropping her head back against her chair and letting out a groan.

"Let me guess. You had fun at your meeting?" she looked up when she heard her husband's voice, sending him a glare. "What, I guess wrong?"

"I hate you." she said, glaring at him as she reclined in her chair. Gibbs laughed, closing the door behind him as he entered her office.

"Jen, I don't believe you." he said, rounding her desk and kissing her on the forehead, sitting on her desk facing her as she turned her chair towards him. She sighed, resting her hands on her bump as she looked at him.

"Yeah, well, I'm lying." she said, closing her eyes and sighing. Gibbs rolled his eyes as he took her hand, running his thumb along her knuckles. She cracked one eye open at him, amusement gleaming in her emerald green iris. "I think I'm going to head home. I don't have any other meetings today, and I think I can start my maternity leave now. A few hours won't make that much of a difference."

"Try and sleep Jen. You look exhausted."

"Thank you, Jethro. That is exactly what I needed to hear." Jen said with a snort, rolling her eyes at him as she sat up slightly in her chair, glancing around the office.

"Jen, I'm just tellin' ya like it is." Gibbs said, and Jenny hit his shoulder lightly, glaring.

"Jethro, shut up." she said, shaking her head. "Help me up?"

Gibbs took her hands, helping her stand and leaning forward to kiss her, smiling when she wound her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss as she tried to press closer to him. She moaned in frustration when her bump got in the way, resting her forehead against his.

"He needs to be born soon. I miss being close to you." she whimpered slightly, her eyes turning forest green as arousal coursed through her, her hands tugging at his neck. She kissed him again, need clear with her lips. "I want you so badly."

"Jen, just another two weeks." Gibbs said, trailing his lips down to her neck, nipping gently at her pulse point.

"Jethro, try another eight. We're waiting the full six weeks after the baby is born." Jen said, pulling back slightly so that she could see his gaze. "I'm serious Jethro."

"Jen…" Gibbs started, but Jen slid her hand over his mouth, rolling her eyes.

"Jethro, this will be upheld. Unlike when you were shot."

"Yeah, we'll see." Gibbs said, and Jen rolled her eyes again, sighing.

"Yeah, we will." she said, her hands slipping to her back as her muscles tensed. "Walk me to the elevator?"

"I'll do you one better. I'll walk you to the car." he said, and Jen laughed quietly, allowing him to rest his hand on her lower back as he guided her out of her office. Jen stopped in front of Cynthia's desk, smiling at her assistant.

"Oh, are you leaving Director?" Cynthia asked, standing up.

"Yes, Cynthia, I'm starting my leave now. Don't let Leon boss you around too much; he doesn't need his ego to get any bigger." Jen said with a wink, and Cynthia laughed, nodding.

"Alright. I'll try and come see you after the baby is born." Cynthia said, and Jen nodded, feeling Gibbs stroke his hand up her back. "I'll miss you Jenny."

"I'll miss you too Cynthia. Goodbye."

"Bye Jenny."

Gibbs led Jen to the elevator, kissing her temple softly as she stood close to him, sighing quietly as her exhaustion came to the surface. Gibbs stroked his fingers down her arm, guiding her out of the elevator when it reached the parking lot. Her car was waiting, Hector leaning against the car. He straightened immediately, his hand going to the door handle. Gibbs walked Jen over to the car, leaning down and kissing her gently.

"I should be home by seven today, unless we catch a case." he said, and she nodded, touching his cheek gently with her fingertips. "Try and get some sleep Jen."

"I'll try. It depends on if he takes a nap or not." she said, stroking her bump fondly as she smiled, eyes filled with contentment and exhaustion. "Don't get yourself shot again, you hear?"

"I'll do my best babe." he said, bestowing another kiss on her forehead. "Bye Jen."

"See you later." she said, squeezing his hand before getting into the car, Hector closing the door behind her. Gibbs watched the car drive away, nodding to himself as it pulled out. Only another two weeks.

* * *

It was a little over a week later that he came home to a house that was cleaner than he had ever seen it.

He walked into the house, eyes widening at the impeccably clean hallway in front of him. The house was never this clean. Ever.

"Jen, I'm home." he called, hanging his coat on the rack and looking around, expecting to find his wife in a pile of clean laundry or something equally absurd. There was no response, so he climbed the stairs, looking for Jen. "Jenny where are you?"

"In here, Jethro." Jen called, and Gibbs followed the sound of her voice into their bedroom, where she was re-packing her suitcase, organizing everything by color.

"Jen, what are you doing? Your stuff was packed."

"I was just keeping my hands busy. I think we may need this, babe." Jen said, standing up. Gibbs remained frozen for a moment before blinking, surprise clear on his face.

"Jen, how long have you been having contractions? When did your water break?" he asked, coming over and moving her hands from the clothes, zipping the suitcase and looking her in the eyes.

"I've been feeling contractions since about two this afternoon, and my water hasn't broken yet." Jen said, but just as she said spoken, there was a splash, and she looked down at where her feet were before looking up at him, letting out a short laugh. "I stand corrected. My water broke two seconds ago."

"C'mon Jen, let's go have this baby." Gibbs said, taking her suitcase in one hand and settling his hand on her lower back, guiding her out of the room.

"It's taken long enough." Jen grumbled before wincing, and Gibbs sped up slightly, leading her to the stairs.

"Jen, it'll be over before you know it."

* * *

"You lied to me, Jethro." Jen said, twenty hours of labor later. Gibbs rolled his eyes, earning a smack and a glare. "You said it would be over before I knew it."

"Jen, everyone is different. Obviously, our son does not want to make this easy." Gibbs said, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. "Look at his parents Jen."

"Well, I wish he wasn't as stubborn as us at the moment. It's been a long twenty hours." Jen said, glancing up when the doctor came in to examine her. "So doc, how much longer?"

"Well, you've finally reached ten centimeters. So we'll prep you, and then you two will get to meet your son." Dr. Addison Montgomery said, smiling up at them. The redhead had not only been with them throughout Jen's pregnancy and knew they'd been waiting for this day for a long time, but had also known them both on a personal level for years. "And one of the men in the waiting room, Tony, not only tried to hook up with me when I went out to give them your status report, but also tried to bribe me into giving him the details of the baby. Something about a big pool he has going on?"

"That would be DiNozzo." Gibbs said with a roll of his eyes, rubbing his hand down his face, his own weariness coming to the surface. "Don't listen to him, Addison. He's an idiot."

"A cute idiot." Addison said under her breath, and Jen rolled her eyes as her legs were put into stirrups.

"I heard that Addie."

"Yeah, well, it's the truth. Is he seeing anyone?"

"Not that I know of. But do you really want to date a Federal Agent? Look at what I go through." Jen said, shooting a smirk over to Gibbs, who merely rolled his eyes. "It must just be something about him."

"Yeah, well Jen, it's because I'm irresistible." Gibbs said, and Jen laughed, smacking his shoulder playfully.

"Alright Jen, you're having a contraction. I need you to push for me."

Fifty-five minutes of pushing later, their son was born. Addison placed the squirming baby on Jen's chest, who had tears in her eyes as she stroked his head, glancing up at Gibbs.

"Jethro he's beautiful." she said, eyes widening when the little boy opened his eyes, their bright blue color stunning her. Gibbs cut the cord, and one of the nurses took him to be cleaned and measured while Addison finished with Jen. Gibbs kissed Jen's forehead, brushing back her sweaty curls.

"You did great Jen."

"Thank you Jethro." Jen said quietly, looking up at him and squeezing his hand. "Thank you for giving him to me."

"It was my pleasure Jen. Thank you for giving me the chance to be a father again." he said, whispering into her hair. She sighed quietly, resting her head on his chest and closing her eyes, all her hard work taking its toll. Ten minutes later, their son was brought back in, wrapped in a soft blue blanket with a small white cap on his head. He was placed in Jen's arms, and she cradled him carefully, stroking her finger over his clenched hand, the soft skin making her smile.

Together, they slowly unwrapped his blanket, checking all of the baby's fingers and toes, and after they'd swaddled him back up, Jen pulled his hat off, running her fingers gently over his soft auburn hair. The baby let out a soft gurgle, turning his face into Jen's chest, sighing quietly in her warmth.

"Are we in agreement on the name?" Gibbs asked softly, one arm around Jen's shoulders, the other stroking his son's cheek softly. Jen nodded, kissing his cheek gently before returning her gaze to the baby.

"You can bring the team in Jethro." she whispered, not wanting to wake the baby. He nodded, standing carefully and leaving, coming back a few minutes later with the team. "Hey guys."

"Hi Jenny." Abby whispered softly, stepping forward with a smile. Jen turned slightly, shifting the blanket away from the little boy's face. The team crowded around the bed, smiles on their faces as they gazed at his face.

"He is beautiful Jenny." Ziva said quietly, smiling at her friend. Tim stood next to her, and he took her hand, intertwining their fingers. She smiled at him, giving his fingers a squeeze as she stood slightly closer to him, her dark hair falling onto his shoulder.

"What's his name?" Tony asked, his eyes soft as they gazed at the baby. Jen glanced at Gibbs before looking back at the baby, stroking his cheek softly.

"This is Lucas Jasper Gibbs." she said, smiling as she cradled Luke. The team murmured their appreciation, happiness filling the hospital room. Gibbs kissed Jen on the forehead, slipping an arm around her shoulders. She leaned back against his chest, her head fitting into the space between his neck and his shoulder perfectly. She was finally home.

Abby turned to Tony, an evil little smile on her face. He paled slightly, eyes widening. He knew what was coming.

"So Tony, I believe I won the pool?"

-The End-


End file.
